LETTERS TO HORATIO ROBINSON STORER
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
[To Woodbury Storer from David Humphreys!!!!!]
Boston March 19th 1811
Dear Sir.
Long absence from Boston prevented me from receiving your very welcome & acceptable favor, until lately. I have been here a few days, & am on the eve of my departure. I would not leave this place until I had thanked you for your obliging attention, in giving an account of my name-sake.
I own, [but] I am not very partial to my own name. It has, however, served my purposes tolerably well. I wish it may do better by others. Tho' names are arbitrary, they are not, always, absolutely indifferent. Good conductcan enable any. Bad conduct must disgrace every. I hope & trust, the young person, in question, will, __her?ly, for himself, his friends, the world, adhere to the former--keep far aloof from the latter.
Much occupied in my little concerns of farming & manufacturing, you will excuse me for not entering into details of my occupations. I am about publishing a collection of Papers, on introduction of the fine wooled breed of sheep here.
If any of your Booksellers would have an inclination to dispose of any copies, they will write to address: Increase Cooke & Co. of New Haven, who will print & publish the work. I flatter myself, it may be useful, both to Farmers, Sheep-Breeders & Manufacturers. I am Dear Sir with great respect & esteem yr m ob srvnt
David Humphreys
Addressed to
Woodbury Storer Esq
Portland
Addressed to Master Horatio R. Storer
No 14 Winter Street
Boston
Dr Brewer
Roxbury Jan 10th 1836
My Dear Horatio
I was very much gratified last evening in receiving your very neat, pretty letter. I was quite astonished, for I did not know my dear Horatio could write.
We shall hope, to receive letters from you often; and I shall take great pleasure in answering them. We wish much to see you here, we were very sorry, we didn't bring you out with us, the day I was last in town, as the day was so fine, but I was so short on time with your Mother and Had so much to say to her and Thomas, that I never thought a word about my dear boy until I got into the chaise your grandfather said why did you not ask Horatio to go out with us, and then it was too late, to go back and ever since that time the sun has not shown. But the first time the weather will permit, I hope your Father and Mother will allow you to come. As soon as the weather is pleasant, Aunt Catherine will go in town and you can sleep with Aunt Elizabeth or Uncle John which you please.
The weather is so very cold, the poor birds cannot find any thing to eat; they fly round the house, and one came yesterday and flew on the parlor window, where Aunt Jane was sitting and then on the grape vine and when you come here you shall feed them.
Poor things! they are very hungry and whenever they come near the house, Puss runs after them and very often catches them and eatsthem up! We are very sorry to have puss so naughty for grandfather wants the birds to live and eat up the worms. Sometimes we keep Puss shut up, so that the birds can fly around the house and get something to eat.
Will you tell Frank, I hope he will go to school and learn to write too, that his grandmother wants a letter from him
I am ever your affectionate
Grandmother A[bigale]. Brewer
Addressed to Horatio Robinson Storer Esq.
Walpole
Friday evening
My dear boy
Your father has had a very hard day's work and feels very tired and almost sick. but he feels unwilling to lie down without saying a word or two to his dear Horatio. I was very much pleased that you went to the reading party with your Aunt Frances and behaved so well there. It pleased your Aunt so. Endeavor to be as good a boy as you can. Uncle John and your Aunt were very kind to have you with them, and you must do all you can to make them happy and love you. Your cousin Frances is an excellent girl. _____________ , you must try to do as well as she. When you have an opportunity you must write me, and tell me what you are doing and how you all are. Good night
Accept the love of
your Father
Addressed to Master Horatio R Storer
Care of Dr D H Storer
Boston
Mass
Steubenville, April 1st 1840[70?]
Dear Horatio,
It has been some time since I received your letter but I have been trying to find time to answer it ever since. Our vacation commenced last Saturday. The examination was Thursday and Friday. I wish you could of been here to hear little Emily recite her topic. She was examined in first book of History and singing. She did very well indeed for so young a child. She expects to spend several weeks of the vacation in the country with Mother Campbell the lady that takes care of her. If you had of been here on Friday I know you would of been pleased. We all went to the examination of the Grove Academy. Some little boys got up to the black board and explained sums in Algebra and ____ and explained Geometrical figures in the evening they had a contest at the church and the school is divided into two societies. The sysmonde and cloric a platform was raised at one end of the church and where the two societies argued their cause. The church was crowded. All the gentlemen had to stand as there was not room for them to sit down. There were ____ ____ some little boys about ten or twelve years old getting up and spoke. Emily is shaking me so I can hardly write. She is very anxious to write a post script to Frank. I will have to end as I know nothing more that would interest you. Give my love to all. your affe cousin.
Frances L. Storer
P.S.
Dear Frank
I am very sorry I have not seen you for a long time. But I hope to see you soon. I am going out in the country part of this vacation and I expect to have a good deal of fun. Give my love to all. To Abby Mary, and all and accepting a great deal yourself. write to me.
your affectionate little cousin
Emily W. Storer
P.S. Emily is just learning to write, she has done very well I think.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Addressed to Master H. R. Storer, Sandwich.
Sunday evening - 21 Janr [1844??]
My dear boy,
Mrs Forsyth came in the morning and I cannot let her go without a line to you. In a few weeks we hope again to see you. The remainder of your time, I wish you to attend most carefully to your English Grammar. The examination in my branch is very strict - and I would not for the world have you fail-; do your best - and I shall be perfectly satisfied. Your mother and all ... ;folks are well - and all send their love. Did you receive a letter, with a bill? if you need any thing, let us know it.
Your affectionate father.
Your mother wishes you to ask Aunt Mercy, if she thinks you really need any summer clothes. She thinks she sent you sufficient.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Addressed to Master Horatio & Francis H. Storer, Boston, Mass
Newark March 14th 1840
My dear Horatio & Frank
We were all very much pleased in seeing your Uncle John & Abby Storer arrive here safe: & very much gratified in reading your letters to your Aunt Elizabeth. I hope you will write us every opportunity you have & send by a private conveyance. I cannot tell you my dear boys, how much I want to see you both, it makes me feel very dull, every Sunday, that we cannot have you here, & keep us alive, we do want to hear your hearty laughs, & and have your good company. We hope, your father Mother will let you come make us a visit when your Aunt Katy returns, either one, or both of you. Horatio can have a very good school here & learn as much, or more, we think than he would at Sandwich. All say, that this place is very pleasant in Summer & we think it must be - but Aunt Katy will tell you all about it. So says Grandma, and Grandfather says he approves of it, and also says you must give his love to your Father and Mother, and say it would give us much pleasure to have H. pass the summer here, and go to school until he can enter the Latin school in Boston, and then have F come and make us a long, long visit and go to school we have excellent schools and most beautiful playgrounds, and we miss our grandchildren that it would be very kind in them to come and see Grand Father and Grand Mother.
March 14 - I commenced this letter last night & was called off, & your Grandfather has been so kind as to write his wishes with mine , & have you come here instead of going where you went last summer. I have a great deal I want to tell you but have not time as I want to see your Uncle John all the time. I want you should write me how you like your new brother, Robert W. Storer - do you think he will be as good a boy as his brothers are? What does Abby and Mary say to him? I think dear Mary will want to kiss him all the time. How do you get along now your mother is sick? I hope you are both very careful not to make any noise. & disturb your dear Mother, but try all in your power , & keep Abby and Mary still too. You both, feel impatient I know, to have her get about house soon; & she wants to get well soon, so that she can see Aunt Katy as much as she possibly can.
My dear nephews- This is what I call a piece meal letter, something like that pudding they have down to Sandwich that Horace says is made of gingerbread pieces. I was very glad to see the letter from you. I hope you write as often as there is an opportunity. We are always glad to hear from you, but should be much more glad to see your bright faces; and dear little Abby and Mary too, and little Robert. Who does he look like, like Horace or Frank or neither, is he a good boy or does he like to exercise his lungs. I wonder if he would know his Aunt Elizabeth do you think he would. I flatter myself he would be the only one of my nephews and nieces that would not, but I am afraid Master Robert would cry and not laugh a welcome. Has he blue eyes? - I was very sorry to hear last winter of the death of your cat. It was too bad. I know how to feel for you Franky, for I always feel bad too, when anything I love dies, and to die as she did is still worse. I did not know the hen was dead. Though you wrote in your last letter she was sick. I am sorry she was a pretty creature. And so you have been to two parties, that is more than your Aunty can say this winter, quite disappointed. I heard from Uncle John that Uncle Gardner said you both behaved very well, and it did him good to hear Frank laugh;, he seemed to enjoy it so much. Did you have a good time! how late did you stay. What games did you play - Did cousin Mary E. receive her gusset or did she leave that to her mother. I should have liked to have been there and seen you very much. I hope one of you will come on with "Aunt Katy-", We should all of us be very glad to see you, and Aunt Lizy would like one of you for a beau. She will try to help one of you learn your lesson, and now and then will have a laugh with you. I should like to see you very, very much and your dear sisters and brother. Your affectionate Aunt Lizy. I did not tell you you must be good boys for I would be sorry to think you would be otherwise.
Did you ever see such a letter - I commenced writing and intended to finish it in a moment, & behold Aunt has written her wishes - & I have no more room than to say you must not let Abby and Mary forget their Grandfather and Grand Mother & you must give my love to them & kiss them for me & tell them I have sent some gumballs for them and you likewise - Give my best respects to your GrandMother Storer, & love to Aunt Frances & Aunt Sarah - My best love to your father and Mother & we hope soon to hear your Mother is again about house. let us hear very soon from you all & you will gladden the heart of your affectionate GrandMother S. Brewer
Messrs. Horatio & Francis H. Storer
Boston
Mass.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Boston May 26th 1840
My dear Horatio
I have been very impatient for the arrival of the Sandwich packet & it did not get here until Saturday evening - it seemed a very long time to wait - it was 3 weeks that I had not heard from you - excepting the grandmother of the Howards (whose father was drowned on board the Lexington) called to see me, as she understood, that Frank was going to Sandwich - She said you were well when she saw you - which was delightful to know - although I must confess I had rather see your handwriting than to hear - I sent you some more papers & if you have not lost or torn those I sent before you will find in the atlas almost every paper & letter signed T.M.B. All those are written by Uncle Thomas who is now in Washington - There are some in this bundle from him but they are not as interesting as the others were (excepting the one I send now with a description of Newark) I am glad you have taken off your thick flannels - When you send again will you send your red flannel drawers - your woolen stockings & your hunters tippet - & any other clothes you may have done with are your shoes worth the mending? If so, send those too & I will have them mended -
Will you ask Uncle Joseph where you can carry your trunk to be mended - & if there is any place it can be done - Will you give my respects to Aunt Mercy & ask her, whether she can lend you anything to keep your things in, while the lock is fixed - if she will I shall feel very much obliged, as I should be sorry to have you have such an excuse for not attending to your things - How happens it you sleep alone? Is it because you are such a bad bedfellow or what is the trouble & how happened Heath and you to separate? Do you like to have the newspapers or not? I send you Percey's Magazine & Harrison Almanac - take care of them and lend the almanac to anyone who would like to read it - I was glad to hear you had been fishing - We are all well - Little Robert has been vaccinated & was very sick, but is getting over it - George's father has been here - he walked all the way from Alexandria! I do not know whether he intends to take George, but suppose he will - I shall be sorry to have him go - Where do you get your ruled paper? Have you used yours or have you changed with someone? I send you 1 dollar - I hope you did not get of candy this year - for it only disorders your stomach - Did I tell you Aunt Katie had gone home - Uncle Gardner & Aunt Mary went with her - I hope, my dear you try to be a good boy & remember that golden rule - to do as you would be done by - Frank will be sad enough if George goes - without you or him - Abby and Mary talk of you very often - Is there anything you want - if so send me word? Was it the last or the first of June that we were to send those tickets to Mr. Thayer? I am going to try to write to Grandmother & my arm is very feeble & I am easily tired - I will write soon again and believe me ever yours with deep affection Abbey
Do your clothes want mending
if so, send them to me
Master Horatio R. Storer
Sandwich, Mass.
Addressed to Master Horatio R. Storer, Sandwich Mass
Yav'd by Dr Brewer
Newark August 3d 1840
My dear Horatio
I presume in a few days you will return to Boston and try to enter the Latin School. I hope you have studied attentively so that you will not be turned by. Your mother wrote that you had a log cabin raising at Mr. Wings on Independent day. I suppose you had a fine time of it. We rode to orange a few days ago and Frank went with us to see the Log Cabin there, it is quite a pretty one had has chairs for the President and secretary of the Tippecanoe Club and a desk made out of logs - a root of a tree which winds round leaving a hole in the center for a window and a part of a branch which is curved for a knocker. Uncle Thomas has returned from Washington. All last week he was quite sick with a violent inflammation in his eye. he was not able to see and in great pain. he is now better and expects to leave for Boston to-morrow. Uncle Thomas, Frank and I took a walk last evening to see the inclined plane on the canal as Thomas had not seen it. It is quite a curiosity as it is an inclined rail road. The rails extend from a lock at the top where the water is turned off into a sluice which goes by the side of the railroad and turns a factory and falls again into the canal at the bottom. We saw a boat going down when we arrived there after it had gone down we walked along by the side of the canal until we reached a lock and quite fortunately there was a boat going in to the lock so that Frank was able to see it. He has been wanting to see one ever since he has been here but had not. Did you ever see one. If you have not I will try to describe it so that you may understand if you do not Frank must try to explain. Where there is a descent in a canal, the water would all run off and boats going up would find it difficult so they build a part of the canal bout the size of a canal boat and at each have gates opening like the folding doors we had at Roxbury only they have a long timber fastened at the top for a lever to open them. The one we say was going down. The man who tends the locks opened the upper gates and the water rushed into the lock until it was on a level with the canal. The boat entered the lock and then they shut the upper gate and opened the lower one a little to let the water out gradually. When the water had fallen to a level with the canal below the lock the lower gates were opened and the boat come out and they fastened the horse to it to go on. We walked on before to see it go down the inclined plane. There are two tracks on the railroad a car on each one goes up while the other does down. They are connected by chains and are moved by a water wheel one of the cars was in the lock at the top there is a gate at each end which shut down inwards as one gate goes down the other rises. The man turns a wheel to shut and open them just before the boat arrived at the lock a man on board blew a horn and the upper gate was shut down the other rose. The water rushed in and the canal boat entered and went into the car where they fastened it . They then let all of the water out of the lock and the lower gate shut down - on this gate are rails fitted to meet those on which was the car. They then set the wheel going and the car carrying the boat descended. The rails go beyond the plane into the water so that the car can go into the canal far enough for the boat to float off. I hope you will be able to understand. I wish you could come and see me and then you could see for yourself. If I had thought, I should have written so much, I would taken a whole sheet. Frank has been perfectly well since he came here. He sends his love to you and says you said you would write to him this summer but you have not.
From your affectionate Aunt Catherine
[Ethel-October 1993]
Monday - 6 ock AM.
Dear Horatio,
Have only one moment now. Will write you soon by mail. I was glad to get your note - hardly long enough for a letter - & to hear good things of the Latin school.
Write me long letters - I will try to gather some more minerals for you & Frank. You must write Forman Wilkinson for his parents sake - You have private coming across some times - but if forced? to? by mail you can.
Love to all, dear H- your aff & truly remembered -
Your Uncle
JPBStorer
[Ethel-October 1993]
Horatio R. Storer
Dr.D. H. Storer
Winter Street
Boston
Miss Bradbury
Syracuse 24 Ap. 41
Dear Horatio,
Two months ago you wrote me by Mr. Brewer.I think, your first letter to me, since your entrance into the Latin School. I was much gratified to learn that in a class of sixteen you were seventh in rank. You allude to the others being older than yourself. Think not much of this: If the race is not always to the swift, be assured that distinction & honor are not the prerogative of age alone. All success depends on your exertion,- your constant, steady, daily efforts. If the habit of patient and careful attention is once formed, & like all habits it will be vastly quickened and strengthened by exercise, you will take the foremost rank in your class. And, the particular book, or study on which you are engaged, can have your clear and undivided thought - it will cease to be difficult.
The great object is to collect one's thoughts and to concentrate them on the subject in hand. I knew one, in College, who was not distinguished for quickness of parts,- or remarkable for his powers of memory- or imagination;- who, by his companions, was considered for a time, dull & heavy:-yet he was studious and patient - quiet and scrupulously honest in all his pursuits - spurning every little and mean advantage, that selfish and grovelling minds only can condescend to employ, he never allowed himself to postpone - or delay till the last moment his lessons - but went to them fresh and determined to conquer. He never failed in anything. And in reviews - at the close of the term or of the year, he appeared to great advantage. It was all familiar to him because he had gone over the ground carefully and thoroughly. He was seldom confused - or at a loss. He took time, and acquired a steadiness of purpose - a clearness of perception & thought of judging & comparing - that others more ambitious of display, & willing or unable to apply themselves, never attained. I am convinced, my dear Horatio, that it is the power of attention, chiefly, that distinguishes minds - and gives the Scholar celebrity and success. Let nothing divert you from the study assigned till you fully understand it. Have, if possible only one thing before you, at a time to engage your attention. Your strength is as effectually weakened & scattered by reading carelessly & many books on all sorts of things - as it would be by sight-seeing, or games of amusement. The mind becomes averse to anything that requires attention - careful and close attention. The individual grows more restless, & is unhappy without incessant novelty & excitement from without. Now is the time - & you cannot begin too Early to have some method of system - for reading - study - & recreation. Let me entreat you to cultivate the practice of writing down on paper, daily & frequently in the day, your thoughts & observations in relation to books, occurrences, & opinions. You will find this of incalculable advantage as you advance, & are required at stated periods to prepare themes and forensics. Follow this rule & you will write with rapidity and ease:- While others who have written no letters nor early been accustomed to compose - will dread it as talk work, & fail altogether.I beg you will favor me with a letter once a fortnight - relate minutely whatever you please - think nothing too trifling.- If tis worth talking about, tis worth writing about. Excuse not yourself by saying "I have nothing to tell Uncle." Think of your studies, your difficulties, & efforts & progress - & keep back nothing. I only want the letter - a letter once a fortnight - more than one page too, (not like our good Uncle Littles) & carefully written. Your hand resembles somewhat your father's in a hurried receipt for a Sick patient. If this be so now with the "Latin Scholar" - what may we not expect to see in the Grecian. Seriously, my dear fellow, mend your hand now - for it never improves after we enter college. Look at your fathers - tis not to be compared with the books he filled up at the academy. And even your Uncle John's, - I mean my own - which I dare say you are sometimes puzzled to read - tho I trust you will find no difficulty in reading this last page of my letter - mine, bad as it is now fairer and fuller at your age. Bad penmanship is no certain evidence of good authorship. Everett & Cushings are both remarkable for beautiful penmanship - Let me, hereafter, add the name of Horatio. Think of you often - my dear nephew - & the dear ones in Winter St. Will see you this summer? I hope so. I wish you were permitted to pass a few weeks here. Had I a home or house as we had at Walpole, I would urge your father to send you to Syracuse. In your next letter - tell me when your vacation takes place, and how long? Dont you think you had better write Forman W. -? He and his parents will think much of it - and you can say to him, that you dont think it worthwhile to write by mail & incur a heavy postage - but he can always and frequently find private conveyances.
Give my love to Father & Mother - & brother Frank, & Mary & Abbey - who by the way ought to be mentioned before M - & kiss all for me - & remember to write me often, if you love
Your Uncle JPBStorer
storer
Syracuse 24 Apr. 41
Dear Horatio,
Two months ago you wrote me by Mr. Brewer. It was, I think, your first letter to me since your entrance into the Latin School. I was much gratified to learn that in a class of 16, you were the seventh in rank. You alluded to the others being older than yourself. Think not much of this. If the race is not always to the swift, be assured that distinction and honor are not the prerogative of age alone. All ____ depends on your exertion, your constant, steady, daily efforts. If the habit of patient & careful attention is once formed, & like all habits it will be vastly quickened & strengthened by exercise you will take the foremost rank in your class. And if the particular book, or study on which you are engaged, can have your clear & undivided thought - it will cease to be difficult.
The great object is to collect one's thoughts & concentrate them on the subject in hand. I knew one, in College, who was not distinguished for quickness of parts, nor remarkable for his powers of memory or imagination; who, by his companions, was considered for a time dull & heavy; yet he was studious & patient - quiet & compulsively honest in all his pursuits ...
... Seriously, my dear fellow mind your hand now- for it never improves after you enter College. ... Bad penmanship helps no certain evidence of good authorship. Everett & Cushing are both remarkable for beautiful penmanship. Let me hereafter add the name of Horatio.
... and remember to write me often, if you love
your Uncle
JPB Storer
Letter addressed to Horatio R Storer, Provincetown, (Mass) Care of Capt Nat E. Atwood Postmarked 10 May.
Boston Wednesday [Horatio won a prize for his "Etrurian dissertation" at the Latin School. He was at Provincetown in bad weather in May 1846. Look for this paper to have been published in the Boston Newspapers early in May 1846.]
My Dear Horatio
If you could hear the enquiries in regard to a letter from you, you might think yourself of some importance in the world and for myself I feel somewhat as you imagined I should in regard to Robie -- not that I send to the office every 5 minutes, but I should like to, I will confess. How do you enjoy this delightful weather. The wind has been east here all the time since you left. We feel afraid you may wish yourself here, if you have such weather. You have appeared in print and I have been congratulated on having such a son. What do you think of that!!! Abbot recollected seeing you with a work on Etruria, and your father said you was amusing yrself. He thought afterwards it was the most wonderful precocity he ever knew. He laughed when he asked the subject -- "very funny" -- do not you think so. Nat Hayward is at Plymouth spending his vacation. I had a letter from Lorraine? today. She has got two kind of eggs -- and will try to get more. Her father took Robie into a factory-- and he asked a few questions -- is still very happy. I went to see Mrs. Coe about Frank. Told her what I wanted and she is to let us know what she shall charge and then we shall decide. Her daughter that was married lives 3 miles from here and she would take her, if I do not conclude to have him go to the lake. Father had a letter from Aunt M. she is very feeble. Wants to come East. I am very sleepy as you may think. good night.
yr's truly
Abby J. Storer
P.S. Grandfather, grandmother, Aunt Kate and Lizzy were very much surprised and delighted. I had to go over in the rain Saturday and tell the news. I think I never saw Grandfather appear more pleased.
Next page of same letter:
Thursday Morn. My dear boy -- Why have you not written us -- we feel not a little anxious. Like to have heard yesterday. The weather has been very unpleasant, and we think you must have often wished yourself, at home. But if you do not get sick, I have no doubt that the change will be of service to you. Uncle Thomas goes to Nantucket about the 10th of June, and will take Frank with him. Another letter from Linera(?), Robert doing as well as he did.
I was engaged all day yesterday with the M[assachusetts. M[edical. S[ociet]y and shall be again today, and have only time say I hope you will enjoy yourself and feel back in health when you return.
yours
most affectionately
David.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
A package of Onthroceratitis collected on the Cramer Estates: "Ivator, Jochimsthal se" near the falls-at Narver, & presented to Horatio R. Storer - by
Chas Cramer.
1/13 July 1847.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
St. Petersburg 11/12 July 1847
Midnight
My dear Sir:
The suddenness of your departure leaves me but little leisure to address you a farewell line & to wish you sincerely a quick & safe passage home.
With your leave I trouble you with a few pamphlets & notes to our mutual friends ________ a small package of fossilized fish-remains-\stria-& a couple of casts for yourself, hoping they will prove acceptable. I regret I have nothing better to offer at present.
Bear me no grudge for the inhospitable reception you met with at my hands.
Farewell my good young friend. May you and your brother ever feel happy.
Yours well wished(?)
Chas Cramer
To Horatio R. Storer, Esq.
The fish remains were lately discovered near the Village Marina on the river Slavanca, near Pavlofsky 18 miles from St. Petersburg towards Mosco.
The Stria - strongly marked - on the rocks at Gatchina abt 10 miles beyond Farsko Seto 30 m. from St Petersburg.
The Amphyx nasatus & prosocrynatus Casto were found at Tulkova near the Observatory ca 15 miles from Petersburg.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
July 11 1847
My dear Sir
Herewith the promised Permits for Visiting the Imp. Mint. You might play the "amiable" in escorting thither Miss Burrows pleading in my favor, for non a Hendance individuelle the pressure of Banking business--where my presence is indispensable.
Very truly
Yours
Chas Cramer
2/12 July
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
My dear Sir,
You receive hereby seeds of the only vegetables which I know peculiar to Russia, viz, the small Murom(?) Cucumber, particularly fit to be preserved in salting, the flat & very sweet finnish turnip and the cabbage of northern Russia. All the other kinds of vegetables are introduced from abroad, & even every year. The finnish turnip requires a light sandy soil and succeeds best in places where the woods have just been burnt & the soil covered with ashes. The common buckwheat, is very generally used by the people of this country, does by no means differ from the buckwheat of all the other countries in Europe. The Libian(?)Buckwheat (Polygonum tatricum) is never cultivated & even in Libya hardly is made use of.
I hope to see you before your leaving Petersburg & if only p_____, I shall send you on Saturday _____ a _____ box of his plants for Prof. A Gray.
I remain very faithfully
Your obdt. servt
T W Fischer
July 9/21st 1847.
P.S. A plant, I cannot provide unfortunately seed of at this time, is the black Carrot from Georgia (from Tiblis); it is not to be got at this moment.
[HRS: Fischer Director General Imperial Botanical Gardens, St Petersburg.]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Exhibition 17 Oct. 1848.
A Latin dialogue,
by
Horatio Robinson Storer.
Cambridge 12 July
1848.
Edward Everett:
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Cambridge 3 March 1849
Dear Sir [Uncle Robert]
I am desirous of sending a brown paper parcel containing a book and a few pamphlets to Mr. Flenken our charge' d' Affairs at Copenhagen. I beg to enquire whether I could do so by the Wallace.
I am, Dear Sir, very respectfully Yours,
Edward Everett.
R.B. Storer Esq:
[Harvard Archives HUD 3599.510 Harvard Natural HIstory Society Letter book 1837-1850]
A Committee consiting of Messrs Lothrop & Pierce of the Senior Class and Storer of the Junior Class were appointed to obtain some one to deliver the Annual Lecture. They requested Dr. Holmes of Boston to deliver it & received the following answer:
Boston April 21, 1849
Gentlemen
I am obliged to say that I do not feel able to accept your very kind invitation to deliver a public lecture before the Natural History Society. I have already pledged myself for one of the Summer anniversaries and after many months of what is to me hard labor however small its results, I am anxious not to assume any new responsibilities for the present. Fortunately there are many who know a great deal more about the subjects in which your Society is interested, and I trust you may gain as much frm my inability to serve you as I shall lose in not having the pleasure of appearing before you at your annual meeting.
Beliver me, gentlemen
Very truly your friend
(Signed) O. W. Holmes
Messrs. L K Lothrop
J. Pierce
Horatio R.Storer
[Ethel-Dec]
Portland Dec. 20. 1849.
Dear Horatio,
Your affectionate letter of Oct. 10 last, gave me much pleasure. I intended to reply to it then very soon, but pressing cases, enfeebled eyes & some other excuses operating have hindered. I have been fearful you would feel hurt that I have failed so long to answer it, but trust you will overlook this want of promptitude. I shall try next time to be decidedly prompt.
We had promised ourselves a visit from you during vacation, & were not a little disappointed when we heard of your determination to visit the coast of Labrador. I hope you will make us a visit during your next vacation, & be assured yr. Aunt, Abby & myself will do all we can to make your stay comfortable and pleasant. I had hoped to have been favored with a short interview with you when I was at Boston last week, but found on enquiry you had been in the City the evening I arrived, & had returned to Cambridge.
I was gratified to perceive that yr parents were enjoying such comfortable health, that Robert had grown so much & appeared so much better than when I last saw him. I was pained however to find your Aunt Frances so feeble & her symptoms so unfavorable: I had expected on arriving to find her quite restored. I hope she may yet be raised up and spared for many years, to be a comfort to her friends.
From your Father's remarks to me, I feel however, that her situation is considered very critical. From a letter recd. today for your Uncle Robert, I perceive there is no alteration for the better since I left Boston.
From your remarks as to the profession you ought to select, I feel quite clear (& your Aunt concurs in opinion with me.) that the medical profession is the one you seem to be peculiarly fitted for.
I think you may be very useful in that profession, it is one fitted I think to your taste & sympathies & one in which I trust you will excel. Your fathers position will tend to introduce you very speedily into practice, & the attainments you have already made in the theory & practice of medicine, will be of great service to you in your preparatory cores of study.
The objections you hint at to the profession have some weight, to be sure; but what situation in life is free from trials? Where is there to be found perfect rest?
This State is one of trial, of discipline, but if we are truly penitent believers in Christ, we shall finally find that rest & blessedness which He has gone to prepare for them that love Him. The Gospel says repent & believe in Christ & thou shalt be saved. May it be found at last dear H. that we have truly repented & believed. Repentance & faith (you are aware, doubtless) are synonymous with being "born again" & becoming "new Creatures in Christ."
Your Aunt & Abby desire their affectionate remembrance to you.
Accept the assurance of my continued regard & believe me Affectionately
your friend & Uncle
Woodbury Storer
Mr. H. R. Storer
Cambridge University
Mass.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Boston Society of Natural History.
Boston, February 21st 1851
Sir,
At a regular meeting of the Boston Society of Natural History, you were duly elected a member of that body.
Your obedient servant,
L. L. Abbot. Recording Secretary
To Mr Horatio R. Storer
N. B. The regular meetings of the Society are held on the first and third Wednesday of every month, at 7 1/2 PM_
Please to pay Dr. N. B. Shurtleff the sum of five dollars entrance fee_
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
8 Montgomery Place
March 30th
My dear Mrs. Storer,
I am sorry I have no better working copy to send than this. It has the advantage, however, of being easily sent in a letter. Hoping that it may serve to stir the patriotism of your derelict son. I am
Faithfully yours
O.W. Holmes
[1854? is written at the top in a different hand.]
[MHS: Page 77 of Warner letter book covering May 1851: Transcript of Warner letter to HRS Tuesday 27 May 1851"]
/No. 12 Franklin Place/ Boston
Tuesday 27 May 1851
My dear Storer:
It was not my intention that my brother's little microscope should be returned, if you found it to be of any service. It will rusty and dusty in my room: I shall never use it. Will you receive it from your friend, if not for his sake as a slight memorial of early and I trust lasting friendship, at least for the ske of science in general, in however small degree it may contribute to aid yo\u in those interesting pursuits to which y\ou have begun to devote yourself; and
beleive me every truly your fieind
Hermann J. Warner
If you write home during your trip, let me know of your luck.
[From Horatio's medical school Journal]
BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY
Sir:
You are hereby notified that at the next meeting of the Society, to be held on Wednesday evening, July 2nd, the subject of a change in the Constitution, so that any number of Curators may be chosen according to the exigencies of the Society, will come up for consideration. You are respectfully requested to attend said meeting, as by a clause in the Constitution the votes of three fourths of the members are necessary for any lateration or amendment. The meeting will be held, as usual, in the Library room of the Society, in Mason St., at 7 1/2 o'clock, P. M.
By order of the Society,
SAMUEL L. ABBOT, Recording Sec'y.
Boston, June 23, 1851.
Addressed to
Horatio R. Storer Esq -
Boston -
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Cambridge 30 June
1851.
My dear young friend,
I have received your note bearing date the 16 May & 24 of June, together with the copy of the Pamphlet containing Mr. Storer's [Stone?]semicentennial discourse & the other exercises of the 11th of March. I beg you not to think that any apology is necessary, for the manner in which you express yourself on this occasion. On the contrary, in these days, a respect for age is so much impaired, that wherever it exists, it commands my special sympathy and approval.
The Honorary degrees, to be given at Cambridge this year, have for some time been decided upon. The law requires that they should be submitted by the Corporation to the Overseers a full month before Commencement. It is consequently too late to make any proposition relative to your venerable relative for this year. If you will bring the subject to my recollection about the 15th of April next year, I will lay it before the Corporation.-
It will be wholly at their discretion to grant or withhold the degree, nor can I foresee how they will decide. I will only say, that if it is withheld, it will not be in consequence of any sectarian opinions in which Mr. Stone [Storer]may be supposed to differ from the Corporation. Their honors are bestowed with equal hand on those who agree and those who differ from them.-
I remain, with much regard,
Sincerely yours,
Edward Everett.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
6 Ryder Street S. James
3rd Nov. 1854.
Dear Sir,
Your packet, with a letter, and a copy of the additional part of your Father's History of the Fishes of Massachusetts I have duly received, and I beg to return my best thanks both to him and to you for the gift and the communication, and by you to offer him my kind regards for his acceptable mark of remembrance when your write.
I am very glad to know that his Professional acquirements are so highly appreciated, tho' it may interfere with his Natural History labours.
We are visited this year, in the South at least, with a very fine autumn, and I hope your Northern residence has proved favorable to your health-
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully
Wm. Yarrell
Dr. Horatio R. Storer-
Edinburgh-
Lawyer Boston [Febry 18/57]
Dr. H. R. Storer
Dear Sir
The statutes of this Comlth respecting procuring abortion &c are found:
...
These are all the statues on the subject in this Commonwealth; and you can see that causing the premature birth of a child is not under any circumstances murder. Though killing the child the instant after birth would be.
And yet premature birth undoubtedly results in very many cases in the death of the child which would otherwise have been born alive.
It would be hard therefore to find in the moral law the same distinction made in the civil law between causing the death of a child immediately before & immediately after birth. Before the birth though the civil law recognizes the existence of the child for some purposes, still so far as personal injury is concerned its being is engrossed, so t speak, in the mother.
Truly Yours &c
John Keith
Febry 18/57
[get date from footnote 10 of Mohr]
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Dear Doctor,
I send you all I find in our statutes in relation the subject of yours of the 12th Ult.
It is my present intention to endeavor to get a law passed in our Legislature to meet the case, much too common of administering drugs & injections either to prevent conception or destroy the embryo. It is an undoubted fact that , especially in high?? life, & in the middle rank of society, many wives (& often with the connivance of their husbands) take measures of _____ kind. It is not probable that any law could be enforced in such cases; but the fact of the existence of a law making it criminal, would probably have a moral influence to prevent it to some extent. And perhaps in some cases it might be enforced against those who furnish knowingly & designedly the means of procuring the destruction of the embryo or foetus.
I would be pleased to see your report when published.
Yours truly
Wm Henry Brisbane
Detroit March 19 1857
Dr H. R. Storer
Dear Sir
I have copied from our statutes all that I could find that has any relation to the subject of procured abortion. Sec. 33 & 34 of Chapt 153. It seems to me that is very crude although my attention has not before been called to the subject.
Very truly yours
A. D. Deland.
Wilmington No Ca
20th March 1857
Dear Sir
Our code contains no statute on the subject of Criminal Abortion
It is punishable at Common Law as an offence against public morals, by fine & imprisonment. All parties implicated liable to punishment
Very respectfully
James H. Dickson
Dr. Storer.
Nashville March 20
H. Storer
Roxbury
Dear Dr
Yours to Dr Lindsley is recd. He is absent north - may be in Boston next month early.
Your letter is filed & will be attended to duly at the meeting though we shall expect you at the Association.
There is no statute on the subject of Crim. Ab. in this state, & no decisions in our Courts, as there has never been a case of the crime.
Good for Tennessee!
Very truly yours,
James M. Hoyte
Troy 23 March 1857
Dear Dr
Yours of the 19th inst come while I was from home. You "want to know what Statutes are in force with "us" on the subject of criminal abortion" Our "Revised Statutes" ...
There my Dear Dr I believe are all the laws we have in force on this subject. This last act was passed after the Mrs Restell tragedy in New York with kind regards to Mrs S. your Father & Mother I remain
Yours very truly
Thos W Blatchford
H H Storer M.D.
Wilmington March 23 '57
H. R. Storer MD
My Dr Sir Yrs of 19th was duly recd yesterday & not until today could I consult with two or 3 of our most eminent lawyers on the subject. The Hon J. A. Bayard-Wades & Bates inform me that we have no specific law on the subject having few or no cases known among us, & some of the most eminent amongst them think the least legislation on the subject the better & so of some other horrid crimes as Sodomy. (This private) as I do not now know that I was authorized by them to report so much. The crime if discovered could & would be punished under other laws existing on the Statute book of the State. See Laws of Del in any attorneys office or genl law library Boston. In New York perhaps in most of our large cities this crime is awfully on the increase by empirics & unprincipled med men, or calling themselves such. Will you get an o _ _ v i c e? I hope so. If in any matters I can serve you in any enguiries please command me to do so. As ever
Yrs very truly & sincerely
J.W. Nim_____
Chicago, March 23, 1857
Dr Storer
Dear Sir;
Sec 46 of Chap 30 of ...
This is all I find on the subject.
Your Abl Svt
D. Becinsull.
Washington, March 24 / 57
Dear Sir:
Yours of the 19th instant has ben received, and in reply I will state that in reference to the crime of malicious and felonious abortion, there is no statutory law in force in the District of Columbia.
...
In virtue of an act of Congress the commissioners are now occupied in codifying and analyzing our laws, and when they reach that portion of criminal law relative to "Coroners" and "Abortion" they promise to communicate with me, before reducing the law to a statutory form.
An answer?? to the above will be thankfully received.
yours truly
A. J. Semmes, M.D.
Dr. Storer
March 25th 57
My dear sir
Your note of the 19th was received on Saturday, and I hasten to send you the result of my inquiries in regard to the subject of which ou write.
As it would be necessary to use many sheets of paper to convey the amount of information you seek, I must refer you to the Code of Va Printed in 1849 - and I doubt you will be able to find the volume in some library or lawyer's office. Under the head of Crimes and Punishments, Table _____ from Chapter 191 to Chapter 200 both inclusive, you will find recorded the laws of Virginia on the subject of Criminal Abortion.
I am my dear sir very truly
Your obdt. Svt.
Ro. W Maxw_____ Naxall(?)
St. Louis, March 24/'57
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Boston, Mass:
Dear Doctor,
Enclosed I send you a copy of the only statute of this state concerning Criminal Abortion. It embraced as you will perceive two classes of persons and so far as the physician is concerned might screen him in his disreputable practice. The punishment seems to be wholly disproportionate to the sin and enormity of this offence.
I am glad that you are directing your attention to this important subject and doubt not it will receive full justice at your hands. When fully considered and your conclusions known, I should be glad to obtain them, as I can easily have them embraced in our own statutes.
With sincerest regards to your own and your Fathers family, I remain
Yours very truly
Charles A. Pope
[revised statues of missouri follows]
Maryland
Chestertown March 25 57
Dear Sir
Your favour of the 20th reach me two days ago, and I immediately sought the information you desire from a reliable source. The first lawyer I consulted ...
I hope the above information be satisfactory. I am Dr Sir
very respectfully
F. Wroth
H. R. Storer
Valparaiso Indiana
March 25th 57
Dear Sir
Yours of the 16th came to hand a few days ago and I hasten to reply. All the Statutes in force in this State on the subject of Criminal Abortion is condensed in one small section, which I have copied with punctuation and have enclosed.
Truly yours
R. A. Cameron, M.D.
Dr. H. R. Storer, Boston
City Registrar's Office
March 26, 1857
Dear Sir:
I regret that I am unable to do more that furnish you with the number of stillborns in each of the years since 1849. Prior to that year, still births were recorded among the deaths, so that to ascertain their number would involve an examination of several huge volumes, which would require an energetic siege of some weeks' duration.
I do not know, that the information conveyed below is such as you desire, or that it will be of any value to you. If, however, it should be in my power to furnish you with any data that should assist you in your labors, you may command me with the most perfect freedom.
The number of stillborns reported in Providence, R.I. last year was 111. The population of that city being about 48,000 would require Boston to have about 400 of these births, instead of less than 300. Undoubtedly more than a hundred yearly escape being recorded, a large proportion of which, no doubt, result from criminal abortion.
Yours respectfully
Mrs Apollonio
Dr. H. R. Storer
Keene, Mar. 27th.
Dear Sir,
I was away from home when your note came,or should have replied to it earlier.
The N. H. statute makes the attempt to produce miscarriage, without physician's advice, or necessity on acct. of danger to woman's life, punishable with imprisonment not more than a year, of fine $1000, or both.
Same, with intent to destroy child, fine $1000 & confinement from one year to 10 yrs at hard labor. If death of woman cause, guilty of murder in second degree.
Woman voluntarily submitting to these proceedings, punished by imprisonment, not exceeding a year or fine $1000, or both.
Yours Truly
W. H. Thayer
Horatio R. Storer, M.D.
Windsor Vt. March 28/57
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Dr Sir [Doctor?]
Enclosed please find a copy of our Statutes on the subject of Criminal Abortion
yours respectfully
Ed. E. Phelps.
[Vermont Statute follows- surely have this photocoped at home]
[Countway B MS b 47] St Anthony Minnesota Territory
March 28 th 1857
My dear Sir,
I hastento reply to your inquiries in relation to "Criminal abortion ect. The sttures of our Territory have the following provisions Chap 100
Sec 10 ...
The practice of producing abortion is freqently resorted to in our vicinity, and it is not unfrequent for married women of high social position to apply for medicined which will produce abortion - and itis with regret that I say that Regular physicians have in many instances, assissted in thes damnable practices. The law as it stands is to us worthless & unless it is amended theevil will not soon cease.
Yours very Truly
C. W. Le Boutillier
To H. R. Storer
Philad. March 30th 1857
Dear Doctor
Your note of the 19th came to me while so engrossed with the business of examining candidates that I had no thought for anything else. Our commencement, however, took place on Saturday, the 28th, and I am now at leisure to say to you what I know on the subject of hour inquiry.
I do not know that there is any stature in our state on the subject of criminal abortion. ...
Sincerely yours
Geo. _. Wood
Dr. H. R. Storer
New Haven April 2, 1857
Dr. Storer
Dear Sir, Enclosed is a copy of the section of our statutes that you request. I happened to be specially engaged for some days after rec of you letter; and I feel mortified to consider how long I have delayed a reply. Hope that my delay has caused you no inconvenience.
Yours truly
Chas. Hooker
Mobile April 2, 1857
Horatio N. Storer MD
Dear Sir
On my return home after an absence of six weeks, I found your letter on my table & this will, I hope, be my apology for the tardy attention it has recd.
I furnish on the next page the information you require with my affectionate remembrance to your parents and the family, I remain
Dr Sir, very truly
Yr friend & Obdtly
A. Lopes
N. Orleans
April 2nd/57
Dear Sir;
I should have answered your letter before, asking me for the statutes in force on the subject of criminal abortion, had I not read the word "Statutes" statistics. I set about collecting these when I discovered my mistake. I now then without further loss of time, inclose you the only act on the subject in force in Louisiana.
It will afford me pleasure, at all times, to aid you in your investigations in any way in my power.
very respectfully
yr. obt st.
E. H. Barton
Dr. Horatio R Storer
Arena, Wisconsin April 6th 1857
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Dear Doctor,
I send you all I find in our statutes in relation to the subject of yours of teh 12th Ult.
It is my present intention to endeavor to get a law paper by our legislature to meet thecase, much too common, of administering drugs & injections either to prevent conception or destroy the embryo. It is an undoubted fact that, ispecially in high life, & in themiddle rank of society, many wives (& often with the connivance of theirhusbands) take measures of thiskind. It is not probable that any law could be enforced in such cases; but the fact ofthe existence ofa law making it criminal, would probably have a moral influence to prevent it to some extent. And perhaps in some cases it might be enforced against those who furnish knowingly & deisgnedly teh means of procruing the destruction of the embryo or foetus.
I would be pleased to see your report when published
Yours Truly
Wm Henry Brisbane
[revised statutes of wisocnin 1849 follows]
Boston April 20, 1857
Dear Dr
I have carefully read twice your report. It is ably done, but the more I consider the subject the less I see how to meet the object intended, supposing the object to be as you suggest of so grave a nature. From my own personal experience, I would not say that the procuring of abortion was common. Therefore I could wish in your report that you could have given some proofs of the very great prevalence of the crime. Others may, like myself, have no personal proof of the point. To be a Committee man to report more stringent measures when one needs personal acquaintance with a subject to be reported on seems to me absurd.
But let that point pass, I now proceed to lay before you some of the suggestions that have occurred to me during the perusal of the paper. I will refer to pages, at least, at times.
Page 5- It seems to me that the real cause of the inefficiency of the present statutes is more owing 1st to the present morale of the community in reference to the subject, & 2d to the great caution observed by all violators of the law & 3d to the fact that the operators & one operated on are both extremely desirous of concealment and therefore the law cannot find witnesses. All the[se] troubles will [be] met by the Prosecuting Attorney in any case & under any law. Hence I must say I have little hope of any Antiabortion Statute any more than I have confidence in any Maine or Anti-liquor law.
Page 6. Are there not cases where a physician would be justified in suggesting a course med as he would use in Amenorrhoea, even when he might suspect, but not be able to knowof the evidence of pregnancy? Suppose a mother of several children which she has in rapid succession & the physician feels assured that health & possible life will be endangered if another pregnancy occurs, would he be criminal if he were to use common means for amenorrhoea if the menses have been absent six weeks?
Page 7. Are the cases always so plain that a man can decide & may he not balance a choice of evils? This remark is partially answered by the preceding.
Page 8. We are asked to report on Criminal Abortion. Let us keep to that. Prevention of conception may be equally criminal, but we are not called at present to discuss it & we shall have hard work enough, I fear, to persuade the Society, as a Faculty to act on the subject of Abortion. Therefore it would be better to avoid all other issues.
Page 15 Let us not go before the Society with any "hastily prepared" draft of a law. But let us wait & only digest the matter. I would lay it before some lawyer & take his advice.
In conclusion, I would remark that I think your plan of making the woman an accomplice is perfectly just.
Yours very sincerely
Henry I. Bowditch
Dr. H R Storer
[Countway]
Andover Mass May 7, 1857
Dear Sir,
Although an entire stranger I feel prompted to express to you the great & sincere pleasure I have this day experienced in reading your remarks at a late meeting of the Suffolk Dis. Med Soc. as reported in the medical journal of this date A few years ago I put forth an earnest effort to remove "The ignorance prevalent in the community respecting the actual & separate existence of foetal life in the early months of pregnancy" I was prompted in this work by a desire to counteract so far as I could the influence of the lectures & writing of Hollok(?) et id genus orune with which our country is filled & all of which encourage crime.
Most heartily do I hope that my medical brethren will engage heart & hand in this effort.
Allow me to invite your attention to the Chapters on Reproduction & particularly to the remarks upon pages 109-110 of the accompanying little work which I take the liberty of sending you. The book would never have been written had not this method of treating this most important & delicate subject suggested itself to my mind. In common with others I had formerly supposed it could never be written upon in a work designed for popular use.[!]
With high esteem
Your obt svt
Stephen Tracy
To H.R Storer M. D.
The Mother and Her Offspring, by Stephen Tracy, M.D., Formerly a missionary physician of the A. B. C. F. M.[What do these stand for?] to the Chinese.
"A babe in a house is a well-spring of pleasure."
"A delight, but redolent of care."
New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1853.
Page 108-9
"Here, then, is a new individual being in an early, although not its earliest, stage of its existence. It is a Human Being. It is one of the human family as really and truly as if it had lived six months or six years; consequently, its life should be as carefully and tenderly cherished. Although it may seem to be a digression, I can not persuade myself to proceed further without making a few remarks upon a matter to which I beg to call the particular attention of every reader. It is one of great practical, and even vital importance, and yet it is one that has not been at all well understood by the community. Ignorance upon it has resulted in the commission of crimes of the greatest enormity.
I shudder when I think that women sometimes designedly endeavor to bring on abortion.
In order to do this, you perceive that the life of this human being must be destroyed.
Its life commenced at the time of the formation of the embryonic cell--at the moment of conception; and no person has any right to destroy it by any means whatever.
Its destruction is wholly and entirely inadmissible, and whoever for the sake of gain,or for any other possible reason, designedly destroys it, excepting in cases (which very seldom occur) where it is certainly and indispensably necessary, in order to save the life of the mother, commits a most awful crime, and will be called to give an account therefor at the judgment of the Great Day.
Even in those lamentable and distressing cases where conception has taken place unlawfully, whatever and however aggravating may have been the circumstances, the destruction of the life of the foetus is a thing never to be thought of.
The life of this new human being isSACRED, and no one but God himself either has, or can have, the least shadow of a right or liberty to take it away.
To destroy its life, for the sake of saving one's self from exposure and mortification, is but to add a greater [110] to a lesser crime. It is but tact the part of the man who, a few years since, being detected by an aged and feeble lady in stealing a small amount of property, committed that awful and infinitely more heinous crime of murder, to save himself from exposure.
I am aware that these remarks may strike upon the minds of perhaps most of my readers as new doctrines. But they are not new to well-informed medical men. The investigations of physiologists have established them as incontrovertible TRUTHS, which should be known, and felt, and regarded by every human being. Every woman who reads these pages, especially, is bound to let them be known as widely as possible."
[HRS hand: Blatchford - 13 May- 1857]
I am glad, right glad, you have got hold of the subject of Criminal Abortion, a crime which 40 years ago, when I was a young practitioner, was of rare and scant occurrence, has become frequent and bold. It is high time it was taken hold of in good earnest, but you will find its roots deep and its branches very spreading. It is so here our enactments to the contrary notwithstanding The moral sense of community wants correcting, it is all obtundified (I had to made a word) on this subject. Again I say, I am glad you have got hold of it. Dont let it go until you have made your exertions tell on community.
[back of this page reads]
... Secretary, who acts as chairperson of a publishing Committee I can generally get a few Extras for friends. The Legislature for several years have published them for us. We report direct to them and it comes up as a Pub:D_ from 3 to 5 thousand are usually printed. This last year 2000 for the Legislature and 2000 for the Society. The typography is bad but we think that is compensated for by the circulation they get. Each member of the Legislature has 10 for distribution in their respective counties. Thus in each of our 63 counties may be found the facts? our Society pleas to send forth. This we think is a great advantage. To Sci___ ...
Nashville July 4 1857
Dear Dr.
I owe you an apology for not writing to you about the Committee but a ten weeks absence from home had put me so much behind in my work, that I have been a little remiss in mere acts of courtesy.
The Nominating Committee objected to raising so large a special committee as you wished, but very cordially appointed you Chairman. As such you have the privilege of selecting such Co-adjustors as you may wish. The subject is very important as well as interesting, and the Washington meeting will be a good time to bring it up. We all anticipate a very large turn out next year, which will make up for the small attendance at our for the present inaccessible city.
Yours very truly
J. Berrien Lindsley
Dr. H. R. Storer
Washington City
March 16, 1859
My dear Sir,
Your letter of the 11th instant has been duly received, and I take my earliest occasion to make reply. I fully agree with you in your sense of the importance of bringing the subject of Criminal Abortion before the profession, and the proper authorities of society generally, in such imposing form as to lead to such measures as my effectually check the farther growth of so great an evil, and if possible put such an extinguisher upon it as to prevent its becoming a characteristic feature in American "civilization." I am sure, however, that alarming as the increase of this abominable vice has become in our large commercial and manufacturing cities, or even interior districts, it is a crime which is as yet, comparatively, a stranger in this City; this may be owing to the difference in the elements and composition of the population. Yet such fact, however, will not less the interest I take in the cause you indicate, and that it will afford me great pleasure to do all in my power to assist you in your investigations.
I thank you for calling attention to the papers published on the subject in N. A. Medico-Chirurgical Review, and, it will be my purpose, from hereafter to write to you such views as may be called up into my mind on the matter.
The field here is by no means a rich one for gleaning such truths as may tend to enlighten any efforts in behalf of this special cause. Rarely is there a case of Criminal Abortion known among our permanent population, and this poverty in material will, I hope, excuse the poverty of my aid. I trust your efforts will be crowned with success, as well as enlighten the proper thinking portion of the country of the necessity of abating this dark vice.
It is a singular fact that CriminalAbortions and child-murder are vices which seem to prevail among the Scandinavian, (so-called) Anglo-Saxon, and German races, and that child-murder is a crime which rarely stains the public reputation of the Latin races of Europe.
The Northern races of Europe seem to be addicted to more horrid and barbarous crimes than those of the South. The police-statistics prove, beyond doubt, that crimes of the above character are more prevalent and habitual among the people of Great Britain, Sweden, Norway and, I am pained to say, the United States, than in France, Spain, Italy and Austria.
I will thank you if you indicate more particularly the special inquires and distinct matters in relation to the subject which you wish to have attended to in furtherance of your report.
In haste
I remain
very truly
your dvt svt
A. J. Semmes
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Boston, Mass.
St. Louis, March 18th '59
Horatio R. Storer, M.D.
Boston.
Dear Dr.
Your kind letter asking me to join in rendering your report on Criminal Abortion to the Am. Med. Association was received on yesterday. I will do so most cheerfully, and hope that your efforts "at the revision and more consistent wording of our laws upon the subject, and to abate the prevailing ignorance of the true character of the crime" may meet with abundant success.
I shall endeavor to meet you if possible in Louisville in May next.
With sincere regards to your Father and Mother and the rest of your family I remain
Yours very truly
Charles A. Pope
Arena Wisconsin, March 19th 1859
Dear Doctor,
Yours of the 11th came to hand this date. Your do me honor in the request to be associated with you on Committee. I do not know in what way I can render you any service as my time this spring will be very much occupied. But I cannot refuse you the use of my name & what service I can render at your suggestion.
I succeeded in having enacted by our Legislature the following Statute:
...
I have not had the opportunity of reading your articles in the Journal to which you referred me as I do not take that Journal. But will take the first opportunity to peruse them I may have.
I shall not, I fear, be able to attend the meeting of the Am. Med. Association. It would gratify me much to meet you there, & to be associated with you in any good work.
Our Profession here hare making no advances. Our State Society seems to be worthless; & those of us who tried to do something have had every thing to discourage us. We must wait for a more auspicious time to get up a good & effective organization.
Wishing you all success in your laudable work, I subscribe myself.
Yours truly
Wm. Henry Brisbane
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Philadelphia, March 19th 1859
My Dear Sir.
Your letter of the 11th?? inst. sent?? to Louisville, reached me only a few minutes?? ago. I shall not only have no objection, but feel highly honored to serve with you in presenting your Report on Criminal Abortion to the American Medical Association _____ meeting in May provided you have not?? already selected some gentlemen from this city or Section of country. From the fact that your letter was directed to Kentucky, I take it for granted that at the moment of writing it, you were under the impression that I was still a resident of that State, & would therefore make a proper representative from the West on the Committee. Do, therefore, as you may deem best. Whatever your decision may be in regard to the matter, I shall be satisfied. It is proper that I should add that it will probably not be in my power to be at the meeting of the Association. I am in the hands of the printers & the season will?? be far advanced before I shall be able to extricate myself from them.
Your articles in the Review are of deep interest. There effect cannot be otherwise than salutary. I hope you will prosecute the subject to the uttermost limits.
With kind regards, I am my dear sir, very truly your friend
S. D. Gross
Horatio R. Storer, M.D. &c.
Nashville March 25, 1859
Dear Dr.
I do hope you will be at the Louisville meeting. I entirely agree with you in your views, and I hope that they may be prosecuted to a practical result. It will give me pleasure to aid you any way in my power.
Yours very truly
J. Berrien Lindsley
Horatio R. Storer
Troy 25 March 1859
Dear Dr.
Yours of the 20th is recd covering your report. I have read the report carefully. I like it. "Brief" but long enough. "Simple" but sufficiently comprehensive to be understood by all in all its bearings. You may add my name to it, and I will aid you in your laudable design in any way in my power. I hope it may do good. I hope it may open the eyes of our Legislators to attempt something for the relief of "incipient humanity" If such an appeal as the one contemplated does not I shall be ready to ask what will? But alas alas hardly a week passes but I am made cognizant of facts which prove the prevalence of the crime not only, but the callousness, I had almost said the appreciation, in which the public seem to look upon it. And yet, to the honor of our profession be it said I know of not one single physician in good regular standing who does not heartily condemn it, and who would not rejoice to see strong laws enacted, and thoroughly enforced against it.
What you say of the (Irish) Catholics in one of your papers in the North Am. Med. Chir'g Rev. is a remark which I have long since made and a thousand times repeated. I do not remember that in a practice of some nearly half a century (I was licensed in 1813) I was ever applied to by a Catholic for means to procure abortion, and even which after consultation, it was deemed necessary for the life of the offspring to induce premature labour it has been difficult to get the consent of a Catholic mother and not then without the consent of the priest. I was glad to see you have your testimony to their integrity in this matter. Protestants should blush. I read Dr. Chauncys paper in the last Journal with interest. His experience is but a transcript of my own.
It needs no apology for making the extract you saw fit to make from my letter. Anything I can do to aid such a cause is at your service. It can be but little.
I remain
Yours sincerely
Thos W Blatchford
Horatio R. Storer M D
Washington
March 26/59
Dear Doctor:
I have received yourletter of the 20th instant, with the enclosed copy of your able Report on Abortion in its criminal aspect, which you propose to make at the ensuing meeting of the Association.
The Report seems to me to say all that is needful for the occasion, while it, at the same time, avoids any degree of that prolixity which might obstruct its favorable consideration.
The Report is clear, pointed and condensed, that nothing from me can improve or amend it.
It will give me the greatest pleasure to sign my name to the Report, which you can do for me.
The period of our next convention is approaching, and it is my intention to be present without fail. I shall leave here for Louisville about the last of April, and hope that we shall have a full representation from the old Bay state, though we may, of course, look out for a great preponderance of Trans-Allegheny delegations. I hope that success may crown all your laudable efforts to blot out the absurd and mischievous distinctions of the Common and Statutory Law of the United States.
In haste
I remain
yours very truly
A.J. Semmes
Phil. Ma 30/59
Dear Sir,
I return your Report and shall be gratified to have my name attached to it, trusting that your praiseworthy efforts will meet with their due rewards.
Perhaps the probability of success might be increased, if the general association would strongly recommend that each state med. association would press the subject on the legislative bodies of their respective states.
Very respect. your's
Hugh L. Hodge
Dr H Storer Boston
Mobile April 2nd 1859
My dear Sir
I recd. by yesterdays mail your letter with M.S. enclosed, which I have carefully examined. As there cannot possibly, be any dissension among medical me, or philanthropists as to the validity of our position, it affords me much pleasrue o add my name [to] your list of colleagues. I have followed you progressively thro' the numbers of teh North Amer. Revw & wish you all success in the good cause you have espoused. There can be no doubt that in time Legislative action will be awakened to this & kindred other division of Medical Jurisprudence hitherto overlooked. I have strven (and intenc to persevere) with our Legislators, to affect a medical _____ _____ in the appointment of Coroners to which end I addressed a Memorial to our Legislature. It is needless to offer you reasonf for the over arching need. The cause in which you are so worthily embarked, like mine, has been impeded because polticians usurp the seats intendedfor the representatives, i. e., exponents of the true wants of society at large based upon _____ only the protection of property, bu the guardianship of human life & the moral law. We must hope on, hope ever.
I have struggled thro' much during the past seven years to consummate one of teh deares object of my heart, the establishment in our State of a Home for Insane Persons. yet with its melancholy & eloquent necessitystaring them in the face it is only now hastening to its completion.
Pleasepresnet my love to your Father Mother, and all of the family, who know & remembver me. & ask you MOther if she has entirely given me up, as she owes me a letter long due. As to Storer, I have given up all hope of his Epistoliary unfortunaely.
With due acknowledgement fo the kind & undeserved manner you adopt to enlist my cooperation as a colleague, believe me very truly
Yr friend &c.
A Lopes
Horatio R.Storer, M.D. Boston
Columbia S. Carolina
April 3/1859
Dear Sir,
I am just able to acknowledge the receipt of your favor directed to me at N. Orleans of the 11th March inst. I most highly approbate all the steps I know or have heard of having been taken to abate, if not put an end to, that horrible crime, so rapidly increasing in our country. And I do not know wherein the Am. Med Association can do itself more credit than in active steps to arrest it. erecting a great impediment to crime of the most debasing nature. & protanto influencing female virtue & impairing the great foundation of society.
But my dear Sir, you have to weigh our difficulty in selecting my name to write with yours under the banner for the virtuous & hospitable. & those who contend for the welfare, not only of the gentler sex but for society & civilization, to fight under. I am no longer a citizen of N. Orleans, worn out in helath by my long labors in La., I have been compelled since a year or two to seek a more salubrious atmosphere & here I have found it & my brother also in the center of the State of S. Carolina. If you think my humble name will add any strength to your recommendations, you shall have it. & if I can add anything to aid in the cause I will do so with pleasure.
Would it be agreeable to you to show me the report before you present it? I do not think I shall be able to visit Louisville at the aggregation of the Association there in May.
With great respect
Yrs sincerely
E. H. Barton
Horatio R. Storer M.D.
Arena Wis. Ap. 6th 1859
Horatio R. Storer M.D.
Dear Doctor,
The copy of your report you did me the honor to send me has come to hand, & I feel quite satisfied with it. I might make some suggestions but doubtless they occurred in your own mind, & were omitted simply because a short report is better than a long one. There is one point, however, I think of considerable importance. It ought to be brought to the notice of the Legislatures, that many pretended Doctors are communicating to women by means of advertisements in newspapers & books, the means of producing abortion and preventing conception. It appears to me that very stringent laws should be enacted not only against such publications but in the way of securing evidence that Drugs & instruments are furnished for such purposes.
You can, if you desire it, append my name to your report; and you may calculate on any aid I can give you in operating with our Legislature.
Yours Truly
Wm Henry Brisbane
Columbia, S.C.
April 12/59
Dear Sir,
Your favor of the 8th Inst. covering your report upon the subject of Abortion has been just received. I have read it with great gratification & believe it fully adequate to accomplish the ends proposed by you. If I suggested anything it would be in making the 2nd Resolution a little stronger & instead of advising a mere 'revision of the laws,' I would recommend on conviction of abortion (criminally) at any stage of life, whither of the age of one month or nine, should be in the eye of the law, murder, & the infliction of the highest penalty advised. It is my opinion that one or two convictions, & especially if accompanied with a similar penalty on the auxiliaries, the wretches who live by it, would speedily put an end to it.
There are two branches of this subject which it may be as well not to overlook while it is to be recommended to the consideration of State Legislatures. The
1st is the indiscriminate sale of poisons for this, & other objects without official signature of a Physician.
2nd is the quack advertisements recommending medicines for such purposes. However this would be embraced in the first.
The greatest objection that now occurs to me in making these suggestions to you is that they might be productive of too much discussion, which might jeopardize one of your objects, it is all left to your discretion.
Wishing you then all success in your laudable efforts for the sake of morals, humanity & the profession.
I remain
very respectfully
yr. obt. st.
E. H. Barton
Louisville 3 May 59
Dear Dr
I have ordered the paper sent to you daily during our associate existence. You will see that your report was read and the resolutions unanimously adopted. Your report was highly spoken of, not a dissenting voice in any direction. I am sorry my dear Dr to hear from Dr Townsend the cause of your not being with us. I do hope my dear yoke fellow (though I am not the oldest ox) that your illness will be of short duration, and that a little relaxation will restore you to your wanted measure of health and professional ability.
Dr Reece of the N Y _____ took a deep interest in the subject and so do many others.
Yours truly
Thos W Blatchford
H R Storer M D
[What was Horatio's illness?]
Louisville 5 May 1859
My Dear Dr
I cannot tell you the number of Gentlemen who have spoken to me about your Report since I read it nor can I begin to tell you the high encomiums, bestowed upon it without a single drawback. I thought you would like to know it. To know that our labors are appreciated by our brethren when those labors have been bestowed in the cause of humanity is a precious cordial for one's soul in this old and thankless world. Go on.
Dr. Joynes of Richmond Va one of the delegates and a gentlemen of education & of very pleasing address is deeply interested in it & in the subject of Criminal Abortion. In communicating to me some facts concerning the situation of affairs in Virginia upon this subject I thought you would be interested in them & he kindly consented to put them in a paper for me. I send them to you. If you will correspond with him I doubt not you will find him an intelligent correspondent not only, but attentive and prompt in reply. Ithink so, I never knew him before but I have formed a good opinion of him. I hope you get your Louisville Journal regularly. I ordered it for a week. We meet next year in New Haven. I am off today for home.
Yours very sincerely
Thos W Blatchford
Remember me to Father, Mother and Wife
Blatchford enclosure by Joynes follows:
Legislation of Virginia on the Subject of Criminal Abortion &c.
I believe that Virginia is one of the few stated of the Union in which the low of abortion has been at length placed on the right basis.
Prior to the revision of the Code in 1849, there had been no chance in the Common Law as it respects the crime: And it is therefor doubtful whether the induction of abortion prior to quickening, if done with the mother's consent, and without injury to her, could have been punished. (Certainly it has been decided by Chief Justice Shaw of Massachusetts, that such an act is not an offense against the Common Law.)
When the Code was subjected to revision in 1849, the revisions introduced a provision framed after the spirit of the "Ellenborough Act" of England, by which abortion prior to quickening was made punishable, but was treated as crime of decidedly lower grade that if induced after quickening. The old dogma that the foetus became endowed with an independent vitality at the moment of quickening was then still allowed to sway the hands of justice.
Having seen the provision as first reported by the revision, I took the liberty of addressing to them a communication, in which the whole subject was fully examined by the light of medical evidence and of common sense, and it was recommended to them to initiate the Act of Parliament passed since the commencement of the reign of Victoria, in which the old distinction based on quickening is utterly ignored, and abortion is punished with the same severity at all periods of gestation. The revisors at once adopted the suggestion thus made, and presented to the Legislature a section framed accordingly. This section provided that the induction of abortion, or the destruction of the unborn child, unless advised by two physicians to be necessary to preserve the life of the woman, shall be punishable by fine and imprisonment &c: There is no condition relating to the period at which the crime is committed.
In the communication above mentioned, I also endeavored to induce the revision to banish from our law that old common law rule, which stays the execution of sentence from a woman condemned to death, until after delivery, provided she be "pregnant of a quick child," but allows the law to take its course if (though pregnant) she has not quickened. Strange to say, this recommendation was unheeded by the revisors, though they had fully admitted its principle in the provision relating to criminal abortion.
At a meeting of the Meedical Society of Va. two years ago, a committee was appointed on my motion, to memorialize the Legislature on the subject. This duty was performed, and a bill reported in accordance with the prayer of the memorial, but it failed of its passage for want of time. It will again be issued at the next session of the Legislature.
An article on the general subject of the rights of the foetus in utero, written by the undersigned, is contained in the Va. Medical Journal for 1857 (I believe).
L. S. Joynes
Richmond Va.
May 4th 1859.
[Nat. Library of Medicine]
London
31 Somerset St.
June 3/59
My dear Storer
At last a letter from your old Edinburgh friend Priestley who truant and renegade though he has _____ right glad to hear from you again and to learn that you were safe and sound in your old city of Boston again. Notwithstanding so long a time has passed since I wrote to you. I was at one time most anxious on your account. I was told that you had gone away to some distant and inland part of the country [when? where? May explain why Abortion Report was delayed to 1859, but does not account for Horatio's absence from AMA at Louisville in May 1859.]that you had had some threatening chest symptoms, and that you had some notion of relinquishing medical practice altogether believing?? it prudent rather to relinquish a pursuit which afforded you so much pleasure, than lose our health, which is so important to the interests of your wife and family. Glad I am to hear from Dr. Bowditch that you have come back to work restored again and that all seems well with you. Unfortunately I have seen scarcely anything of your friend Bowditch. He came upon me at a very busy time when I had a country patient or two, who had to be seen every day and who took up so much of my time that I scarcely got a chance of seeing my own children. When I went to seek him _____ same little time _____ his old lodging I found he was off to the Continent and may perchance by this time he & _____ home of the beleaguered _____ of that ill-fated country Italy.
Let me tell you first of my personal affairs of those near and dear to me. I have as you surmise, children two, and the expectation of a third sometime in Autumn. Our eldest boy, Robert Chambers, has _____ well and daily grows in interest to us. The second Edith _____ a little sprite of 14 months is a little chubby, well conditioned mortal, who laughs all day and grows fat, _____ obstinately in being merry and _____ _____ standing. the _____ and bustle all about her. Their sweet Mother is of course enamoured in the last degree with their pretty ways and thinks that to be the mother of such prodigies is worth all the world besides.
Since you heard from me last, my practice has gone on gradually increasing, and though not so remunerative as I hope it may be, still I consider myself fairly on the way to success and look hopefully and confidently to the future. I have given up my Dispensary and have been appointed one of the physicians to the Samaritan Hospital for Women, where I have Savage, North, Spencer Wells, Gruilly Hewett, & Wright (On Headaches) as colleagues. Here I see a far better selection of cases and can develop any special ideas of practice I think fit. I have been appointed too, conjoint lecturer on Midwifery with Mr. Bloxam at the Grosvenor Place School, and although the number of pupils is very small, still it give me a standing and is a training for a better job.
You may have seen word of a course of lectures on the Gravid Uterus which I published in the Medical Times and which will be completed by and by. Our session is going on just now, and my turn to lecture, so that between the bustle of the full season in London and public appointments I am seldom left at leisure long together.
We have at last got that long business settled about Medical Reform in this Country. It was fairly a pitched battle in the end between the old privileged Corporations and the Universities, As Secretary to an association for promoting the interests of the latter, I worked like a Trojan last Summer and sacrificed almost every thing else for it. I was almost incessantly either in one House of Parliament or another and had constantly to be on the lookout and thwart the tricks of the enemy. Eventually the bill was carried triumphantly in our favour, and the Universities and Corporations henceforth license alike for all parts of the United Kingdom without favour to any one more than another. All exclusive privileges are now swept away and the aim of the Colleges of Physicians to make all Doctors of Medicine pass through their portals, before entering practice and being registered as physicians is entirely frustrated.
You will be sorry to hear that our good friend Simpson has had a most severe attack of rheumatic fever during the Spring. He was laid up a month, during the University session and had to appoint Keillor to lecture in his stead and assist Aleck (who is now assistant) in the practice. Even when convalescent from this attack he began work too soon, and thus suffered a relapse which laid him up again. Eventually he had to go away for an entire rest and only lately returned to his old duty of patient seeing again. You will see that an Obstetric Society has been begun in London of which Dr Tyler _____ was the original promoter and Dr Rigby is president. I am one of the members of the Council and think it may do good, but some of the meetings are very desultory, the general practitioners who form a large body in the Society, all them being themselves authorities on matters of Midwifery, and bringing forward the most extraordinary and original common places. This of course applies to empirical matters of practice, tho I _____ they do not _____ on. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell has been in London and has given lectures at the Mary_____ Institution. She is anxious to begin a school for lady Doctors in London, but has not met with so much encouragement as to determine her to leave your side of the water. Rumour however says that one English lady has offered L 8000 to endow a Professional lady's Chair, if an Institution can once be opened.
Within the last few weeks I have had a most interesting case of Midwifery attended with some difficulty, but happily terminated. The first stage of labour was obstructed by a flat fibrous tumour in the lower segment of the uterus, and although the os uteri was dilatable enough and the pains strong, labour did not progress. Eventually I introduced my long forceps into the uterus and delivered a living child. The tumour was pushed? down subsequently and was removed with the ecraseur. The patient being now quite well.
Now let me hear from you. This is a great effort for a wretched correspondent like myself and I expect to be refunded. I verily believe if you lived nearer you would get a letter from me oftener, but it seems necessary always to write a long letter and to need a proportionate amount of resolution when so great a distance is between. Give our mutual regards to your good _____ and Mother. Is it child or children you have yet?
Ever yours in affection
Wm O Priestley
How has the American Edition of Simpson sold?
[Mass. Hist. Soc HJ Warner letter book for June 1859 page 341]
No 28 Hancock Street: Boston
/Tuesday/ 21 June 1859
my dear Storer:
I made up my mind suddenly yesterday moorning after breakfast that I would sail for London in the Leaping Water, a spick and span new ship. I go tomorrow morning. Of coure I have not time for preparation, no time to see any one or to do anything. I got out to Cambridge and provided myself with sundry letters from Felton and Beck and saw Torrey who suggested that you could give me letters to Edinburgh. I do not know whether I shall go there or not, for have laid no plans whatever: but if you could give me a line there or elsewhere, I should be much obliged to you. My first point is London: my last point is Athens: between the two lies a vast field of confusion and doubt, which I hope to traverse satisfactorily somehow. If I can do anything for our abroad, let me know.
Please direct anything you may favour me with to "Dr. Goerge Bates Boston", and it will be forwarded to me. I don't know how long I shall be gone: I suppose the greater part of a year. My Mother's death has disturbed my health to such a degree that I want a sea voyage to resorte it.
Yours truly
H. J. Warner
I write you with a leaping pen, tursting that Providence will guide you to a right understanding of my handwriting.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Care of Dr. David Humphrey(sic) Storer
Boston: Massachusetts
[MHS: Page 101 of Warner letter book covering October 1860[incorrectly referred to as 1880]: Transcript of Warner letter to HRS 16 October 1880"]
Munich / Bavaria/
/Monday/ 16 October 1880[60]
My dear Storer:
I ought long before this to have acknowledged the receipt in London of the many Letters of Introduction which you were so obliging to write for me; but have put it off from time to time in the hurry of travel so long that I am now ashamed to attempt an apology. I feel much obliged to you for them and if I travel at all in England, which at present is a little doubtful, for feel inclined to give as much of my time as is possible to the Continent, - I shall be very glad of them, I know. I was only a few days in London, and then I crossed to Paris, and travelled in Switzerland; and have been in Germany for the last eight weeks or so, but only lately reached Munich, where, if I don't get tired of it, I hope to spend a couple of months, before going down into Italy, by way of Vienna probably.
I should be very glad indeed, if you think of anything I can do for you in Munich or elsewhere, where I may happen to be, if you would command me.
Munich is a rather pleasant place, but the climate is bad, worse than cold(?) if possible; and they talk very bad German also; but the University, I believe, is good, and they have a good many pictures for me to look at. In Italy I shall see Venice, Florence and Rome, I suppose; beyond that I haven't any plans. My address is Hottinguer and Company, Paris; and if there be a stray fish in Germany you want, let me know if I can help catch him for; and believe meas(?) always
Very Truly Your friend
H. J. Warner
Dr Horatio R. Storer
Milton/ Massachusetts/
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Senate Chamber
28th May '62
Dear Sir,
My attention has been called to the case of John Doyle of the 2nd U.S. Artillery, Fort Delaware, Delaware Bay, who is menaced with the punishment of death for desertion from the army in 1859. It seems to me that this cannot be so. A desertion in time of peace, followed by enlistment in time of war, cannot deserve so severe a punishment.
I enclose the letter of the soldier addressed to Dr Storer, a distinguished citizen of Mass who is much interested for the soldier.
Hope that the case will be considered worthy of your clemency.
Faithfully yours,
Charles Sumner
The President [Abraham Lincoln]
[Countway]
PROVINCIAL LUNATIC ASYLUM,
Toronto, 23rd Oct, 1863
My dear Dr. Storer
Yours from Quebec, and its successors from Boston of 30 Sept & 7th inst., are both staring me in the face, and have been so staring, for many days, amidst a thick cloud of imperative work, which has completely enshrouded me ever since I saw you. The quarterly meeting of our Inspectors has given me a load of heavy work of my own carving out in both internal & external alterations or improvements, in the conducting of which my own supervision is indispensable.
I am getting carried into effect now, a work which I have been urging for 8 or 9 years past, a system of downward ventilation of our water-closets, which I am certain will prove efficient, & will be superior to any I have yet seen in operation in America or Europe. I will briefly explain it, as I know you will be interested in it.
I insert a breathing pipe, about 3 in diameter below the bottom of the soil pan & above the water goose-neck, trap, and carry this breathing pipe into a main, which receives all similar breathing pipes from all the associated water closets, and carries the foul air and odours into a chimney, with good draught. This chimney in my case has to be built, as well as its five chambers, above our water-closet shafts. The furnace here introduced will shut off all access of air excepting from the foulair pipes. Thus you see I convert each water closet pan into a sort of tobacco pipe. No foul air can evacuate from the pan, as the current will be down ward into it, and strong in proportion to the draught of my chimney. Any foul odour from the water in the goose-neck trap, will also go up the breathing pipe.
I have seen American downward ventilation, of waterclosets, but it has always involved sacrifice of the water-trap, and unless a constant & most powerful draught down the main soil pipe was kept up, it sometimes worked badly. My downward ventilation is merely _____ the soil pan, for on leaving this my pipe ascends to the furnace above.
In any private house, which has a good drawing chimney, contiguous or distant a water closet may be not only free from bad emanations, but act as a positive abstracter of bad air from adjacent parts. I have had ne this acting, in our laundry for seven years, and if not thusacting it would be an abomination, for laundry women are brainless almost to zero, and too stupid to let on water, after using the closet. So much for tinker's work.
I send you the only report ever issued by the Quebec Asylum. I regard this establishment as a gross abomination, and I am sure had you seen the whole of it you would so regard it too. In the atticks each sleeper has less than 160 cubic feet. Lower Canadians (French) will not tax themselves as we did to build an asylum. They must have everything done as in old France, by the Central Power, & paid for, from the national funds. Dr Douglas has contrived to reap a profit from their parsimony. I have always told the Inspectors when they have cited the Asylum as a standard, that I wished to be saved the necessity of speaking of it as I though. In fact it would not be tolerated by the English Board of Lunacy three weeks. With reference to my article on Lat_____ of the Insane, it is to be found in the Utica Journal of Insanity for July 1863. I have not a duplicate copy. Dr Tyler can supply your want. A much better article from the pen of the Assist. Physician of Morning side Asylum Edinburgh has since been published, on the same subject.
I shall follow up my autopsical observations. I find the notes very satisfactory to look back upon. I need not tell you that I shall feel most grateful for a few lines, now & again from you, & should I visit Boston next summer, I will not fail to call on you.
I am
very truly
yours &c.
Jos. Workman, M.D.
[Nat lib med]
10 Nov 1864
My dear Dr Storer,
Mr Young is one of our greatest philologists. Has retranslated the Bible. You will greatly oblige me by introducing him to any of your leading booksellers.
Yours very truly
J Y Simpson
State Asylum, Utica, N.Y.
Dec. 10, 1864
Dear Sir,
We must beg pardon for our tardy notice of your October communications, and thank you for the monographs sent at the same time, and which we have read with attention. To speak candidly we cannot see anything novel or anomalous in your case of melancholia, either in its history or your views of its pathology. Sympathetic or "reflex" insanity has been recognized this many a year. There is however one thought which continually presents itself to the psychiatrist(?) who reads your paper, viz. that if your patient had been promptly sent to a hospital for the insane her life would have [been] preserved & her health sustained, and [the] miserable catastrophe prevented.
We are sorry to say that your paper is not of sufficient interest to justify its reprint in the "Journal of Insanity."
Without offering any reflections on the merits of your paper entitled "The medical management of insane women." we propose to reprint the same in the January issue of the "Journal" and to present at the same time the reply to it which subsequently appeared in the Boston periodical.
Very truly yours
John P. Gray
Ed. in-Chief
Horatio R. Storer, M.D.
Boston, Mass
[Countway]
Office of B. M. & S. Journal
Feb. 15th 1865.
Dear Dr.
The Editors of the Journal came to the conclusion after the publication of the last article relating to this discussion, that enough space had already been given to it, and that they would decline any further communications on the subject.
Very truly yours
James C. White.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
3 Pemberton Square
July 29, 65
My Dear Mr(Mrs?) Storer
I feel very much obliged to you for the interest you show in our young friend(s?), and I would be very glad to contribute to the same sh___d objects, but I am willing and able to do such kindnesses. I am
Very truly yours
Geo. B. Emerson
[Countway]
South Pier- Naragansett, R.I.
Sept 18th 1865
Dr H. R. Storer
Boston, Mass
Dear Doctor
Your letter was forwarded and reached me here a few days since where I have been spending the summer. I am as sceptical of the operation (in any form) as you are, without the proper after treatment. Of one thing however I am satisfied, that we can not reach the seat of disease properly in this form of _____ without it. Were I in town I would see that you received the form of knife I like best, for I fear that Teimanns will send you what he considers and improvement. As made & Ford marked up the instrument for me, I have never been able to get Teimann (from professionaljealousy I suppose) to make or sell the same instrument. If he has sent you a different one from the cut given in my paper I hope that you will send it back. I think that the profession should put a stop to the instrument makers selling any thing they choose with ones name tacked on to an instrument which from their want of practical knowledge has been often rendered useless for the original purpose. We are very good friends, but I have been obliged to almost give him up, in consequence of this modifying weakness for changing nearly every instrument he makes. In your letter you ask "How do you prevent the reformation of adhesions between cervix & vaginal wall after each has been dissected away in vain"? I do not get your idea in connection with the operation for Dysmenorrhea! Where I have to cut bands in partial contraction of the vaginal wall I use always an open thin glass plug, as recommended by Dr Sims of different sizes. with a depression at A so as not to make pressure on the urethra. I have had a dozen or more different sizes made & of very thin glass. Being open at one end they are to a great extend kept in situ by the pressure of the atmosphere, although it is well to always use a T bandage in addition. This is a great improvement on a solid plug. The patient retains them until the surfaces have healed entirely, being removed only every day for the purpose of well washing out the vagina.
Yours sincerely
T. A. Emmet
[Countway- B MS c 55.2 6 Nov [18]65. 1s. (4p.)]
D H. R. StorerDear D.
My statistics are not musical, but such as they are cheerfully do I give them to you:
Public Institutions 16 7 Recovery
Private Practice 17 6 "
_____ _____
33 7 (sic)
Spontaneous revoveries 61(?)
Three by sac opening into the rectum, one by an opening in the groin
Recoveries by ruptuure of sac by accidental violence ... 5 all recovered By violence, I mean, by fall on the side walk while running fast &c. Cases in which attempts to raise up, or reach up to heights for articles of weight In one case in an old lady the sac broke while my_____ was sitting in her easy chair at perfect rest.
Not the least disturbance follows these sac fractures until last case the urine at once began to increase in quantity & in a few days Mrs was well & most happy at haveing lost her embarrasing & often painful aliomuind distention.
In view of these revoveries by accident, I as, in the paper which I am preparing on these subjects "Why is not this accidental bursting of the sac not(?) _____ immediately by emptying the sac by the small incision, [too difficult to read!]
[Countway]
Baldwinsville Onondaga Co.
N.Y. July 26, 1866
H. R. Storer M.D. Boston Mass.
Dear Sir I have just finished the perusal of your report published in the proceedings of the Am. Med. Association for the year 1865 and I am sure I can not refrain from thanking you for the excellent treat I have enjoyed. Although an humble member of the Med. profession yet I am an admirer of professional truth and am always gratified when men darespeak the truth from a position so elevated as to make themselves heard. There is in the muss of the profession a lamentable ignorance in relation to the disease peculiar to the generative organs of the female and their reflex influence upon the brain. Indeed there is a criminal want of knowledge among physicians both in city and country of the anatomy of the female organs of generation and as a sequence they are not qualified to know from such examinations as they are able to make whether the organs are healthy or not. May this not be true of superintendents of Insane Asylums? Would my personal acquaintance Dr. Worthington have said that a simple displacement of the womb was productive of insanity of two years standing had he have been qualified to diagnose uterine disease? I believe not. Perhaps I am mistaken however and that my own views are peculiar to myself and erroneous. The careful study of the normal condition is the only means by which we can detect the abnormal. To understand the diseases of the uterine system, above all others requires this kind of careful training. I see this statement exemplified almost every day in the diagnosis of diseases of the uterus and its appendages by my neighbors of the profession who are intelligent respectable men. I believe from some facts which I know that neither of my friends Doctors Gray or Worthington are qualified to detect uterine disease as the source form which insanity arises unless it may be some very simple case so apparent upon its fact that such diagnosis could hardly be avoided by a layman. And this not from want of intellect but from want of proper training in uterine diseases. I have for years doubted the reports of post mortem examinations of females or taken them with many grains of allowance because I believe there are but few men qualified to make them. Books are of great value and we can not be too well acquainted with medical literature but books without close and careful observation are of but little value. Books learn us how to investigate and we shall be likely to fail of doing justice to those whomever treat for disease if we are not independent thinkers. While there is but little new in disease or medicine or mechanical and surgical appliances yet suitable adaptation requires study and thought. You will pardon a man who has been engaged in the medical profession for about forty years and who may perhaps be in his dotage, for troubling you as I have which I only intended a note of thanks for the pleasure I received int eh perusal of your report. Make two institutions one for male & one for female and with suitable Superintendence much good would be likely to result.
Respectfully &c
John E. Todd
[Countway] [date shortly after Aug 13, 1866]
Dr Storer,
Dear Sir,
The following note was unanimously passed at the regular meeting of Directors of N. E. Hospital for Women & Children held Aug 13, 1866.
"Whereas, the confidence of the public in the management of the Hospital rests not only on the character of the medical attendants having its immediate charge, but also on the high reputation of its consulting physicians and surgeons, and
Whereas, we cannot allow there to be responsible for cases over which they have no control
Resolved,
That in all unusual or difficult cases in medicine or where a capital surgical operation is proposed, the attending and resident physicians and surgeons shall hold mutual consultation and if any one of these shall doubt as to the propriety of the proposed treatment or operation, one or more of the consulting physicians or surgeons shall be invited to examine and decide upon the case.
Noted, that a copy of this resolve be sent to all medical officers connected with the Hospital
Very respectfully
E[dnah]. D[ow] Cheney, Sec.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
164 Charles St
Nov(?). 20th 1866
Dear Dr,
Many thanks for your Address which you have kindly sent me. I hope the Association will access itself of all that is valuable in your counsels and with the two states of specialists in a way satisfactory to all parties.
Very truly yours
O.W. Holmes.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
24 May 1867 Passport for Abby M. Storer age 31, 5 feet 3 inches
[Countway]
73 Madison Av: NY
June 5th 1867
My dear Doctor
With our friend Dr Brown-Se'quard, I also deem it something more than a compliment in dedicating your book to me. I feel highly flattered at the compliment & your appreciation of the little I have yet accomplished. (for I have not yet taken the Uterus out) but between ourselves I can not help stating that I really think you have laid it on pretty thick [!]in your dedication. With every wish for the accomplishment of all that you would ask from the book
I am yours sincerely
T.A. Emmet
[Harvard Archives - Eliot Collection (microfilm)]
Harvard College, Nov. 18, '67
Dr H. R. Storer,
DrSir,
Circular No 7 does not appear to have come to Cambridge, & I think it must have miscarried in some way.
Very respectfully
Yours
Thomas Hill
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
164 Charles St
Dec 30th 1867
Dear Dr Storer,
The treatises on Physiology, many of which I have examined, are very barren of information on the point to which you refer. I can, however, give you a few references which may prove of service.
Heart beating after death.
"First to live and last to die." Galen, as given in the "Index Brassacoli"
Plenty of cases in animals reported by Steno, Halter, etc and familiar to all modern experimentation, where the heart has continued to beat long after death. Mitchell's case in Danphisor's(?) Phys. the most remarkable perhaps, of _____ H. of Therceau(?) kept beating until it was so dry it rustled. 2 days after death in birds & mammals-Brown Sequard referred to by Becaud, Physiology 745/ Resneck, cited by _____ .
In human subject. Heart of a traiter thrown into fire leaped an inch and a half, then less and less, but moved eight minutes.
Lord Bacon saw this & give it in his |Hist. vitact martes. Cited by Haller El. Phys I 472
-Decapitated murderer h. beat 1 hour after execution. Harless
-Right auricle 2 1/2 hours after execution-rest of heart not irritable. Margo
-Both ventricles contracted if one was irritated 40 minutes after death.
Donders
-Rhythmic movement in a woman's heart twenty seven hours after she had been guillotined. Em. Rousseau
...
I give you these references to the books on my own shelves. The journals will present plenty more, no doubt, but some of these may be useful. I think from these alone it would appear that an accusation could not be supported on the grounds alleged, so far as I understand them. I am therefore very glad that you wish to review your position, and I shall be happy to _____ you any further aid if I can do so, especially by referring you to the pages I have cited from works at hand.
Yours very truly
O.W. Holmes
[Countway]
Lowell, Janry 6. '68
Dear Dr.
I was very glad to receive your kind note of the 4th, but was sorry to see that you thought it necessary, or worthwhile, to make any explanation in regard to the matter you allude to, vis, the conversation in the presence of Mr. Wells upon the subject of ovarian sections.
Of course I could not suppose you would intentionally mislead us as to the real facts, & I can easily see how, in a general talk such as we were then engaged in , our questions & answers might get a good deal mixed up, & in a way too, to lead to more or less misunderstanding.
I am glad to find that Mr Wells made so good an impression upon the med. profession of Boston, that is, upon those who had the good fortune to meet him.
His visit to this country has done a good deal to break down the affected contempt which had hitherto been displayed against ovariotomy as a legitimate operation.
He is a glorious man, every way. I am only sorry he was obliged to leave us so soon.
Call & see me. 10 Standford St.
Yors truly
G. Kimball
[Countway very poor copy. read next time there]
73 Madison Av: NY
Jan 19th 1868 [58?]
Dear Doctor
I have seen the paper in the Western Journal and read it with great interest but my time is too much occupied to enter the ring, when so little would be gained by doing so. It is written in such an extravagant tone that the least harm is done by letting it rest in place.
You will find in Sims' book a drawing of the operating chair. In the Hospital we use an ordinary table about 28 inches high, 22 inches wide & three feet long. On the Sat following your visit I operated on the ovarian case & she is now out of danger. I found no pelvic adhesions and none elsewhere except on the left side of the abdomen wall. The pedicle was in an unusual condition being very thick and so friable(?) that the clamp cut into it causing hemorrhage. I then made several attempt to tie it with the same result & loss of much blood. I then introduced interrupted sutures as Sims did in his case, but each cut through as it was twisted. I then used Chapman's clamp from his ice bags which was the only thing which did not cut. By this time I had used up so much of the pedicle that it was applied close to the uterus. I then closed the wound. During the night hemorrhage came on but fortunately it ceased by tightening the instrument. On the 5th day I removed all the strangulated portions of the stump which had been tanned by the rise of First Fem ch. & took off the clamp. The uterus had united to the peritoneum . The remains of the pedicle gradually slipped behind the mound as far as the peritoneum would let it and the opening in the abdominal mound has now nearly filled up. The only solid portion was that felt through the vagina and which I thought was the result of an old pelvic infliction. She had been very carefully prepared for this operation and had no trouble from flatus and in fact had not a bad symptom after the operation
Yours very truly & in haste
T. A. Emmet
[Countway - 1994]
Gynaecological notes from Abroad; being extracts for letters for Dr A. J. Stone of Boston to Prof. H.R. Storer.
(The series of letters of which this forms the commencement will prove of great interest to the profession, written as they are by an expert who visits Europe solely to investigate special point in special practice, & who is enjoying very unusual opportunities of comparing motes with the most celebrated men in his department. Eds.)
----------------------------------
Perth, Scotland, Oct 4th. 1868
Dear Dr. Storer,
Landing at Queenstown on Sept 29th I took the mail special for Dublin, arriving at 8 P.M. & having on the road but a moments time in which to mail my letters at Cork. I reached D. just in time to meet your friend Prof. Gross of Philadelphia, who was about departing for the South of Ireland & home. He desired his kindest regards to yourself.[This sentence marked out.]
Being too fatigued to see Dr Fleetwood Churchill on Wednesday, I called on Thursday at 1.30 P.M., & passed a very pleasant half hour with him. With his immense practice & hurried as he was by the presence in town of the Episcopal Congress, I did not feel that I had a right to intrude longer upon his time on that day. He desired his kindest regard to yourself, & evinced best interest in what you have published concerning criminal abortion. In speaking of the crime he said, "I am surprised & shocked to hear so much of its frequency in your country," & did not believe that it existed at all in Ireland. "In the course of my practice," he continued, "I have never received but one application for the operation," & in a voice & with a look which made my cheek tingle, he added, "& she was a lady from the United States." "Why," he exclaimed, "Where can you find one excuse for it in America? There you have a wide extent of unoccupied land, & every mother who brings forth triplets is a triple blessing to your country. Here we have some excuse for the crime, for our land is crowded & it is an improbability for our poor to provide for their offspring, & yet you see we are not afraid of large families, I myself have ten, & yet it is the popular belief that prior to quickening it is no more a crime to bring on an abortion than would be the cutting off a corn; till then our people believe the child to be without life."
"Is it your custom," I asked, "To inquire of your patients whether their abortion was an intentional one or not?"
"Why, my dear Sir, I have never dreamed of asking such a question. Heaven know I am obliged to ask queer enough questions at times but I should expect that any lady to whom I should propose this would leave the room at once. Yes, even if I but hinted at it. To be sure, I always ask 'what was the cause of this miscarriage?' but in the most innocent way, for I never once thought of its bearing upon the question of crime, & I repeat that while it has never been submitted to the crucial test, it must be practically unknown in this Island."
There is a great deal of uterine disease in his opinion in Ireland, & in his ordinary practice he thinks with you that the causes are two principal ones in effecting the same, viz. miscarriages & sexual intercourse. "They don't take heed enough of themselves after a miscarriage or abortion. I often tell them that because its a little thing that comes away, ye think the wholes a little matter, but I assure you to the contrary." I told him I judged from the above statements that he considered that uterine disease was mostly confined to married women, or those who, not married, ought to have been. To this he agreed, adding that he never made an examination of an unmarried woman who was not a prostitute, except in cases of actual necessity, as in the accident of severe haemorrhage. He expressed much surprise at the amount of uterine disease in young women in the United States, saying that he could not satisfactorily account for it, unless on the supposition that they meddled a good deal with their reproductive organs.
I enquired what pessaries were of most service to him, & was shown what I am inclined to think a new idea to our profession in America; Hodge's ordinary pessary for retroversion, then double sigmoid, modified by the introduction of two, sometimes three, loose bars running longitudinally across its lower end, about a inch from the extremity, & place from one half to one third of an inch apart, according as two or three bars are used. The benefit gained is that the instrument retains in place in the vagina, while the Hodge sometime rotates more or less upon its oblique longitudinal axis. He spoke of a case in which he removed one from a lady who had worn it for two years, finding it as nicely in place at the time of its removal as at its insertion. In common with nearly all of Hodge's pessaries, it does not interfere with coitus. He introduced one in a lady & upon her return to his office, inquired if the husband had been at all inconvenienced by it? "Why, of course not, he doesn't know any thing at all about it, for why should I have told him?"
I inquired what speculum he was in the habit of using, & was shown the ordinary glass cylinder. I asked his opinion of the "Cusco"; he said that he had one, a present for Sir James Y. Simpson. As a hunt of five minutes failed to produce it, I concluded that its value was not high in his estimation.
I found that he was not in the habit of using the open lever or horse shoe, not recognizing its value. I told him of your case of horse shoe removed form the bladder, reported in the N.Y.Medical Record, & while expressing his belief that the case was an unique one, he did not wonder at the error of the physician who had introduced the pessary, as cases of remarkable relaxation & dilatation of the urethra had come under his observation. In one instance a lady came to him suffering with severe symptoms of uterine disturbance, & proceeding at once to make a vaginal examination, he was unable to find the os. Surprised & perplexed, he made a careful ocular examination and found that his finger was within the urethra searching the cavity of the bladder, while the vagina, with an outlet virginal & exceedingly small, was far below and behind. The only peculiar symptom the patient had noticed was that always for twenty-four hours after her husband had held intercourse with her she was unable to retain her urine.
Accepting an invitation to breakfast with Dr Churchill the following morning, I now took my leave. In the afternoon I had the pleasure of hearing him read a paper before the Episcopal Congress upon the Church in the United States & Canada. His delivery was pleasant, though his voice was pitched at too low a key for the immense hall in which he spoke, the large concert room of the Exhibition Palace.
Friday morning I breakfasted with Dr C. & found his family exceedingly pleasant & courteous. After breakfast I was taken in charge by the younger Dr Churchill. ON our walk to the Rotendo(?) Hospital, I learned that he had just returned from the Cape of Good Hope, where he had been practising both medicine & surgery for a number of years. On reaching the Lying-in Hospital, I was introduced by Dr C. to the Senior Assistant Physician, Dr I. Guiness Beatty, a nephew of the Dr Beatty so well known to us as an obstetrician. Dr B. agrees fully with you that uterine disturbance may be caused in great measure by invitation of the rectum, & that frequently came in the rectal treatment, the removal of hemorrhoids & will greatly promote the convalescence of the patient under uterine treatment. Unlike yourself, he is not in the habit of examining the rectum unless there are urgent or special symptoms requiring such examination. There was an instance in point in one of the wards of the hospital, a case of procidentia, with inflammation & enlargement to such a degree that immediate reduction was an impossibility. With it were haemorrhoids & a protrusion of the anus, & the case was evidently a chronic one from the fact that the folds were integument like in their appearance. Yet when I asked what would be done for the woman after the reduction of the uterus to its normal position, I was answered, "Nothing, except to try to relieve it congestion & enlargement, & to take a stitch". The haemorrhoids were not to be touched either with the idea of giving the woman future comfort, or of relieving the possibility of an induced tentinitis(?) or cellulitis. The operation for haemorrhoids was that by ecraseur. They were not in the habit of operating frequently & dreaded secondary or concealed haemorrhage. Your idea of rupturing the sphincter ani for the purpose of allowing free drain of blood & immediate knowledge of its presence had not been though of, though the Dr. acknowledged its value. Your idea of everting the rectum by a finger in the vagina was also apparently new to him. He spoke of the operation for haemorrhoids as one to be seldom attempted, & attended with serious risks. Ovariotomy was not of late done in their hospitals, the ratio of success being too small to warrant it. No explanation of this fact was afforded, though it is my belief that, unlike Boston, this city affords many cases of recovery from the operation when performed within its limits, & some when performed in the hospitals. An interesting case of vesico-vaginal fistula was shown me, evidently requiring enclosure of the cervix uteri within the bladder. Dr. Beatty having left the room, I inquired of the junior assistant the probability of an operation, seeing that he hesitated, I suggested this plan & was surprised to hear him speak of it in a slighting way as though he considered it an illegitimate operation. But as Dr Churchill recommended it a few moments afterwards, I concluded that the profession in Dublin recognized its legitimacy & in many cases its extrinsic utility. The method of examination is, as with us, upon the left side, the patient being covered with a sheet & in no way exposed. The glass cylinder & Sims' retractor are the specula more frequently used, & I did not see a Cusco in the building. Ulcerations so-called is considered as usually a simple abrasion, & treated by perfect rest from coition so as to avoid the male stroke, & by nitrate of silver or by tincture of iodine. The same applications are frequently made within the cervical canal, but seldom within the internal os. Versions & flexions are found very common; procidentia still more so. The pessaries most in use are, the ring with thickened edges & their perforated centre, such as you have long since thrown aside; wooden pessaries of various shapes, producing their results by means of their bulk, alike obsolete with us, the Hodge is frequently used in all its forms save that of the horse shoe, Dr Beatty observing that he had seen this in situ but once & then when called upon to remove it. Why its use is not more common I cannot understand; Certainly the comfort ensured to the patient would itself be a strong argument in its favor.
I surprised Dr B. much by saying that we had thrown aside sea tangle tents after a fair trial & had now returned to the use of sponge. He acknowledged the awkwardness & difficulty of withdrawal in many cases, saying that frequently he had observed the hourglass constriction at the place encircled by the inner os. I quoted your case in which the tent had assumed a pear shape with its fundus corresponding with that of the uterus; Still, while he recognized the possibility of such an occurrence, he had not himself met with sufficient trouble to warrant their rejection. The treatment of metritis was not confined to local measures, a favorite remedy being bichloride of mercury with the compound tincture of Bark. Dr B. had thoroughly tested the value of leeches applied to the cervix & had almost entirely discontinued their use, preferring to scarify with a spoon shaped histomy (bistomy?). Scarification of the fundus was almost entirely unknown, & the hospital possessed no instrument which we should consider at all adequate to the purpose. While this was the case, still the Dr. could give me no reason, pathological or practical, why the fundus was not as much in need of depletion in many of the cases presenting themselves for treatment as the cervix or even in some yet more so. Simpson's sound was one universally used; the small probe so much in vogue in New York seems unknown here for purposes of diagnosis. Bearing in mind the frequent trouble experienced from the vomiting of pregnancy, I questioned carefully as to its frequency & treatment. It was of course common, indeed almost the rule, to find it during the first few months, but cases of carriages from the straining attendant, or of dangerous illness as a sequence were rarely seen. In agreement with the proposition of Sir James Y. Simpson, the os was frequently painted with iodine & often a good result. Scheele's prussic acid in gtt[symbol] doses was exhibited with excellent effect; aside form the latter their treatment was the same as our own. I suggested the employment of bromide of potassium, & was surprised to learn that its value was not at all recognized, not a particle of it being in the hospital. As a narcotic, Dr Beatty expressed himself strongly in favor of the use of chlorodyne, "would hardly be able to practice in comfort without it," &c, regarded it as excellent in the diarrhoea of children, & by many it was thought of great assistance in phthisis pulmonalia. Aconite was a favorite febrifuge;(?) muriated tincture of iron but little used. The danger of receiving erysipelatous patients into a lying-in ward was fully recognized & guarded against. The only ecraseurs used contained either a chain or a twine of wire, the latter being the suggestion of the elder dr Beatty. Your own form of wire with a smaller, wound around it in spiral, had not been seen. Dr Beatty was exceedingly courteous & I would here express my gratitude. Should he visit us, Americans can do no better than repay in kind one on whose courtesy our country's name seems to be an accepted draft that he hastens to honor.
As I was about toking my leave, the elder Dr Beatty came in. Mutual compliments having passed, he plunged at once into the details of practice. He spoke of nitric acid as his most common application to the os & cervical canal. He was not in the habit of scarifying the interior of the uterus, & knew no instrument suitable for the purpose. He ordinarily used the cylindrical glass speculum, but some times others, frequently that of Sims. He showed me one, of German silver, which he had found very useful in constricted vaginae, it being introduced & slowly dilated, by passing graduated bougies through it from time to time, & allowing it to remain for variable periods in the vagina. He spoke of having had several such instances in his practice & related an illustration which seems of sufficient interest to send you, & while it appeared to me as unique, yet he assured me that such cases were by no means rare, especially among Catholics, & quoted from Dr Churchill a case, where, incredible as it may seem, an Army surgeon was the man at fault. Some five years previous to data an elderly lady called upon him, saying that her daughter having been married for four years & not being as yet pregnant, she imagined there must be something wrong. Requesting that the daughter might be sent to him, which was immediately done, an examination showed that she was virtually a virgin, the hymen being intact, & the vaginal meatus being barely large enough to admit the end of the little finger.
"'And what kind of man is your daughter's husband?' I asked the old lady."
"A Fine hearty fellow, to be sure he is."
"Send him to me tomorrow." Tomorrow came, & with it the young man; a lusty looking fellow, always spending his time in hunting & manly exercise."
"And did you never touch a woman before you were married?'
"Never a one, Sir."
"How did you manage to keep out of temptation all the time?"
"Why you know our religion is very strict, & we, being obliged to confess often, could not deny it had we any conscience; & besides, my father used to take me every day after dinner & lecture me on chastity, & hold up to me the horrors attendant upon an impure life."
"You say you never had connection with a woman before you were married?"
"No, Sir, never."
"'By my faith, & you may say the same now?' Whereupon I told him of his wife & of his duty by her, & had her come up to me every few days, & introduced this speculum & graduated bougies. That was ten months ago, & she comes up next month to be delivered."
Remembering Dr Maughs' severe raid upon Dr Pallen's article upon uterine surgery, I inquired as to his belief regarding the legitimacy of advisability of hysterectomy. Picking up a single-bladed hysterotome, he said, "I should almost feel at a loss without this knife. I consider the operation as legitimate, & should feel very much surprised at hearing a respectable educated physician make a sweeping assertion to the contrary." "Why, Sir, the uterus is an organ which will bear a deal of rough handling. I assisted the other day in an operation for the removal of several small tumors form with the uterine cavity, the same having been dilated by a series of sea-tangle tents. They were removed by the ecraseur, the patient being under chloroform, & after their removal the entire uterine cavity was swabbed out with strong nitric acid. There was not the sequence of an untoward symptom."
Returning to my question, he added that he often used the hysterotome for the relief of dysmenorrhoea, with great success; always using it freely & slitting open the entire cervix so that the cut edges would evert, otherwise the operation might go for naught, the incision not being sufficiently free to prevent the freshened edges for reuniting. He had no preference for the double-bladed hysterotome, the greater celerity attained with it being hardly a gain. For amenorrhoea, a piece of nitrate of silver, a quarter to an half inch in length, was frequently introduced & left to dissolve, with benefit; our won common treatment. He agreed with Dr Churchill that true ulceration of the os was very rare, that commonly so-called being simple abrasions, & often the result of the force of the marital stroke. Again, he confirmed Dr Churchill's statement, that nothing was known of criminal abortion, & was surprised at the amount of it in our country. Before separating, he expressed the most kindly feeling & greatest respect for the profession in America.
At noon, I called upon Mr Butcher, whose name is so familiarly known to us as a surgeon; a man of most indomitable perseverance & a thorough gentleman of the old school. He very kindly showed me his museum, containing 1500 plaster casts of various abnormalities which had been subjected to his knife, all cast, prepared & colored by his own hand, "in seventeen years of my early life," & he is yet a very young looking man. Mr B. spoke of his thorough trial of acetic acid by injection in cases of cancer.
[Countway]
3, UPPER GROSVENOR STREET,
GROSVENOR SQUARE,
LONDON, W.
25 Jan 1869
Dear Dr. Storer
I had b p to Nice & was away when your letter arrive, or I would have replied to it earlier.
I have not seen Dr. Kimball's paper, so I cannot or do more than answer your own questions. My on impression is that Dr. Kimball & I, after the operation, both told you we thought you would have done better to use the clamp than adopt the plan which you did. I have also a sort of indistinct idea that Dr. Kimball said he had once tried a plan somewhat similar, but did not like it, in this, however, I am very far from certain. My own feeling of the plan is now exactly what it was when I say you carrying it out, namely that it cannot by any possibility be a good plan. It may answer, no doubt, occasionally, but I am convinced it must in the long run prove very inferior to any extraperitoneal method. In fact it seems to me to combine the disadvantages of both extra & intraperitoneal methods, without the corresponding advantages of either. You have the danger of poisoning of the wound by _____tation of purulent matter during the retraction of the hyatius(?), which you avoid by closing the skin around the pedicle beneath the clamp. You have some of the evils of traction if the pedicle is short, & you have not the advantage of complete closure of the peritoneal cavity & _____ union of the wound as in the intra peritoneal methods of _____ , or _____ ligature, and the prospect of your own can after the operation _____ bear out. I think, all my fears exhibited at the time that you have adopted a method likely to lead to _____ration.
I tell all this to you much more frankly than I would to anyone else, & I need not say that I certainly have claimed to be the originator of a plan which I strongly disapprove, and I trust it is equally needless to add that I never expressed any "slighting or contemptuous opinion" of you. On the contrary I have spoken of you in a very different spirit, and however I may differ from you on points of practice you may rest assured that personally I shall always be ready to renew our friendly relations, which ought not be at all affected by scientific discussion.
sincerely
T? Spencer Wells
[Countway - 1994]
A REPORT
ON THE PROGRESS OF PRACTICAL & SCIENTIFIC MEDICINE
As regards the Organs of Respoiration and Circulation, & the Associated Process of Digenstion & Assimilation.
By HORACE DOBELL, M.D.,
Senior Physician to the Royal Hospital for Diseases of teh Chest, etc., etc.
...
84 Hanley St.
Jany. 27, 1869.
Dear Sir
I am advised by Mr Spencer Wells to send you the above note, and, as I am very desirous that America shall be well represented in my "Report," may I ask for your co-operation in any way that you may think best.
I am orgainizing my corrspondents & coadjutors, in different parts of the world, principally under the following heads:
1 Representatives of Countries or Districts
2 Reposof Departments
3 D - J. of Hospitals in Either of which capacities I shall be much gratifed by having your assistance.
We have no time to lose, for so much is o__fied(?) by the transit of foreign letters, but I have already a large number of correspondents at work & all promises well for a successful report. I shall be happy to give you any further information you may desire, and hoping to have the pleasure & advantage of yr co-operation
I am dear Sir
Yrs truly
Horace Dobell [ 1828- ]
Dr. Storer,
[Nat. Lib. Med]
52 Queen St
Edinburgh
21 Jan 1870
My Dear Dr.
I am going to ask of you two special favors-
1. Please send me a copy of the inscriptions cut on your Boston Monument to Anaesthesia. Is a photograph of it procurable?
2. Be so kind as forward to me any latenumber of the Boston Medical Journal that alludes in any way to the anaesthetic controversy. No copy comes to Edinburgh, & Dr Bigelow did not send me, as he should have done, the number containing his letter.
Last week the London Medical Gazette published with comments a great part of Dr B's letter, & this week I sent mine in reply, as the accidental opportunity was too good to be lost.
I have looked over, this last week, the large volume of documents &c published by Dr Morton at his own expense, & have got new ideas from it on the history of anaesthesia in America, which probably I will publish.
There is, I think, not the very slightest doubt that the first case of anaesthetic operation was at Hartford on 11th Dec 1844, & not at Boston on 30th Sept. 1846. Dr Horace Wells was himself the victim, Dr Riggs the operator.
The perusal of the documents impresses me further with the idea that on this side of the ocean we do not give Dr Jackson sufficient credit for the ether, or the idea of its being efficacious. But in his case it was a speculation & nothing more. Without Morton it might have been a barren idea still. He is proved to have been afraid of Morton's doings. I wonder if his fears were owing to the frightening paragraph about its effects written by Farady in Brandis Journal for 1818. Why was he afraid? Could you find out. Dr Jackson was most unfortunate in his lawyer Mr Leid(?), who evidently tried to pervert some of the evidence & raises one's blood in doing so. Dr that my collection of evidence is open, fair & honest. A man named Angier is brought forward to swear & invalidate the evidence of Mr Spear in regard to his breathing ether (he was a patient of Morton's) before the interviews between Dr. Jackson & Morton. Is this man not a scent? Who is he? Jackson on 30th Oct told Morton something, perhaps not much, but I cant find out whether that induced him at once to experiment on himself.[HRS comment "never experimented"] Morton doubtless knew all about ether, but improperly covered up his knowledge from Dr Jackson. What was the something. Find it out.
Yours very truly
J Y Simpson
P.S. In the minds of my countrymen the doing at Paris in 1846-7 had a prejudicial affect on the claims of Dr Jackson because there was a belief of want of "fair play," which John Bull values so very deeply. Do you know Mr Spear who breathed the ether in for Morton's? He & others could now tell a quiet and truthful tale which it would be interesting to hear. Could you have a talk with Spears?
[Wood Library-Museum of Anesthesiology Rare Book Collection]
52 Queen St
Edinburgh
28 Febry, 1870
My Dear Dr.
I have taken the liberty of sending you a parcel of the printed letters. You will oblige me much if you will give copies to Mr. Eddy -- or any other people interested in the matter.
While there are still witnesses living should not some one collect among you and publish all the evidence that remains -- with the view of settling the claims of Dr. Jackson and Dr. Morton.
I scribble in haste.
Yours very truly
J. Y. Simpson
Dr. H. Storer
[Nat. Lib. Med]
52 Queen St
Edinburgh
9 April 1870
My Dear Dr. Storer,
At the time I received the pointed slip, containing Dr. Bigelow's second letter, I was laid up in consequence principally of over fatigue and distant travelling work, with several attacks of rheumatism in the Chest, (I have had two attacks of rheumatic fever before) from which I am not likely to recover. Amidst my sickness I have tried to dictate an answer to Dr. Bigelow which has become far too long in my hands, but I have pointed out, and it will be sent to you, when the printing of it is completed, by the next mail. I send it through you as my last offering to the Gynaecological Society of Boston to use it as they seem fit. The separate copies which will be sent to you distribute privately or use them as you think right. Please ask the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal to admit my answer as an antidote to Dr. Bigelow's efforts. There never was a more unjust or unjustifiable attack than this. I know from the inmost depths of my own Conscience that I never said or wrote a single word to detract from the mightiness of the discovery of anaesthesia by sulphuric ether at Boston in 1846. But surely the discovery of another anaesthetic by me, a year afterwards, more powerful, practical, and useful than sulphuric ether was in itself a fact of no small moment, and tended I well know immensely to spread the use of anaesthesia on this side of the Atlantic. Perhaps some one, within 10 or 20 years, may discover another and better type of anaesthetic than we yet possess. I a man that does so to be denied all merit because sulphuric ether was found out to be an excellent if not perfect anaesthetic at Boston in 1846? I had no idea of the character & extent of Wells' merits till I latterly looked over, more carefully, the official volume of evidence on the matter published by Dr. Morton. According to the latest London journals, some seem to be adapting the contents of nitrous oxide gas for various surgical operations besides tooth-drawing. Our Lord Provost Chambers who made the speech at which Dr. Bigelow cants so much, has bee living in Italy for the last six months, and has just returned to town, and I daresay is startled to find that a sentence of his has given rise to such an unfortunate and petty warfare.
My assistant Dr Coghill, has just told me that a patient of mine, who has been here from Boston for some months, has received a copy of Dr. Bigelow's letter from America by the last post. I suppose this shows how active some Bostonian physicians are against me in this matter. Surely in common courtesy Dr. Bigelow ought to have sent me a proper and authenticated copy.
Probably the strife had been fanned, it is suggested to me, by one or two medical men in this city, for there are none or two in our lists who have quarrelled bitterly with me though I have never quarrelled with them. Thy are old pupils, who ought to have felt deep gratitude for what I had done for them, but I have found, what many others have found, that what ought to be deep gratitude sometimes, and without any apparent cause whatever, becomes deep malignity. I forgive them most willingly all they have done. God has made my life sufficiently successful to a degree far beyond my deserts, and I have been ever happy in doing the work which He has allotted to me. May He ever prosper you in your work, and hold you under the guidance of His eye.
With the kindest remembrances to all your friends
Believe me,
Ever yours truly,
J Y Simpson
[Nat. Lib. Med]
52 Queen St
Edinburgh
24(1?) April 1870
Dear Sir,
My father Sir James Simpson wrote to you on the 16th instant with regard to copies of a "second letter to Dr Bigelow" which he hoped to send you y'day. However the copies were not printed in time. But he hopes to send off two or three hundred copies to you tomorrow or next day. Sir James had a list of persons to whom he wished to send copies but has lost it. He therefore prays you to do whatever you think best with the copies & with the letter. It has not been published in this country at all.
Sir James is still quite an invalid, and not well enough to do nay kind of work. However his state has been improving for the last fortnight, & since the two or three days of breathlessness which prostrated him as he was recovering from his first attack. His medical attendant confidently pronounces that he will recover.
I remain yours faithfly
Walter R. Simpson
P.S. I hear from his doctors that my fathers pulse is every day growing stronger and steadier. The constantly recurring attacks of breathlessness he suffered from for several days accompanied with swelling of his legs were exhausting him fast. I think his doctors are astonished at his recovery & the attacks having very nearly abated, being now slight and rare. The doctors are sanguine of his regaining at any rate a great measure of health, as the water is being reduced in his limbs so. He is not so sanguine about himself. The delay in furnishing the letter was caused by his incapacity to look at proofs since this last letter.
Western Union Telegraph
Dr Horatio Storer
753 Cable
May 6 1870
To Dr Horatio Storer
Boston Massachusetts
Sir
James died friday evening at eight.
Walter Simpson, Edinburgh
[Nat. Lib. Med]
52 Queen St
Edinburgh
25th April 1870
My Dear Dr. Storer,
The letter to Dr. Bigelow is printed to day & will I believe be sent out to you tomorrow, it is still in an incomplete state, but I have not had strength to work more at it.
Two points I wished to have alluded to, but I find I have omitted them.
I. Of the value of Dr. Wells' observation. He himself cites in his pamphlet the opinion, with is too strong, but still deserved to be quoted, of Dr. Marcy, to the following effect: "I beg leave to offer it as my opinion that the man who first discovered the fact that the inhalation of a gaseous substance would render the body insensible to pain, during surgical operation should be entitled to all the credit or emolument which may accrue from the use of any substances of this nature. This it the principle, this is the fact, this is the discovery. The mere substitution of ether vapor, or any other article, for the gas, no more entitles one of the claims of a discoverythat the substitution of coal for wood in generating steam, would entitle one to be called the discoverer of the powers of steam (Dr. Wells' Pamphlet on Nitrous Oxide Gas, p. 20).
II. I have forgot to allude to what Dr. Sinclair told me when he was here a year or two ago; namely, that he could not use chloroform at Boston in consequence of being caballed at by all the other Practitioners of the City. Surely, this is a most strange & narrow minded policy of the profession of a town like Boston, pretending to be enlightened & living up to the spirit of the age. In former days amidst the many fierce Counter(?) Clastes(?) issued to prevent the use & spread of tobacco. Dr. Bigelow relates that in the Colony of Massachusetts and Act was passed laying a penalty upon any individual who should be guilty of "smoking tobacco with twenty paces of any house" are the modern inhabitants of Massachusetts as a general body to be curbed & restrained as far behind in the march of intellect regarding the influence of chloroform as their forefathers were with regard to the influence of Tobacco? All such sumptuary notions & laws end in nothing but failure & discomfiture.
Be so good as distribute the copies sent as sees fit to you. I had a list when I sent away the former but, have no strength to look up for it now. The post expenses will be gladly discharged by my son.
And now my dear Dr. Storer may God Almighty bless you & yours and all that belong to you. I have had three severe attacks of acute Rheumatism at the distance of several years interval. This last has been the most severe of all as it attacks my chest. I am no very likely to escape its effects and am in extreme debility, but you & I will I hope meet in another world, for I look, as I hope you do, for Salvation to Jesus & to "Jesus only." In writing I make use of the hands of my pupil, Dr. Munro, who has watched over me most lovingly & sedulously, by night & by day
Yours Ever
JY Simpson
Dr Horatio Storer
[Countway]
1 Blythwood Square.
Glasgow
July 28th 1870
My dear Storer,
I ought to have written you at the very first for I was apprised of your sympathy, but it seems as if i can never get all the letters written that I ought to write.
Let me thank you heartily for your kind congratulations. And I appreciate not less your friendly hint that I have need to bestir myself to keep the family laurels fresh. How it thrilled my heart to read the noble speeches about my beloved uncle in the Gynaecological Journal! I thought I owed a copy that was set me to your kindness. I have ever had a profound admiration of America. Your generous appreciation of him _____ the admiration into warmer love.
Wattie (Sir Walter, I mean) & I were talking about sending you the proof of my uncle's letter with the correction in his own hand, that hand's last work, if you though it would be an acceptable contribution to the Gynack. Socty Library. W was to write you a fortnight ago, but he has been away in the Country, & I am not sure whether he had carried out his intentions.
I am leaving my practice here in the hands of Dr Umro, the last Queen 8t aprslant & I go there myself two days hence.
It will be an unspeakable pleasure to me to welcome your son to Edn. & I can assure any of your friends of a hearty welcome at all time to the old house you knew so well.
With best regards, I am
Yours very faithfully
Alex R Simpson
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Ottawa Nov 14th 1870
My dear Sir,
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of a certificate of Honorary Membership of the Gynaecological Society of Boston, together with a copy of the Constitution and By laws of that Society to which I give a cordial assent. Be good enough to express my best thanks to the Society for this very flattering compliment they have prov'd me and assure them that it is highly appreciated by
Yours faithfully
Charles Tuffer.
H.R. Storer Esq
M.D., Secty &c.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Dear Sir,
Accept my thanks for your volume on "Insanity in Women" and believe me
Yours truly
O.W.Holmes
296 Beacon St.
Jan 21st 1871
[Countway - 1994]
Horatio R. Storer, M.D.
Dear Sir
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your polite note of teh 4th. inst. and in reply regret to say that the state of my health prevents my leaving home, and consequently it will be impossible for me to attend the meeting of "THe Association of American Medical Editors."
With best wishes for the success of the laudable objects of teh Association
I am your Obeidt. St.
Isaac Hays [HAYS, Isaac, 1796-1879]
Philadelphia
February 6th/71
[HRS note says "again written to 9 Feb 1871"]
[Countway]
102 West 34th Street.
New York, Feb. 8th, 1871
My dear Doctor.
I sign the enclosed with much pleasure.
Yours sincerely
William A. Hammond
Dr. H. R. Storer.
[Hammond, William Alexander, 1828-1900]
[Countway]
Office of THE MEDICAL TIMES,
J.B. LIPPINCOTT & CO., Publishers
715 and 717 Market Street.
Philadelphia, Feb. 12 1871
Dear Doctor,
Allow me to acknowledge the receipt through Prof. Gross, of your favor of 10th. inst.
I forward you the Articles of Association, with my signature. I fear it will be impossible for me to attend meeting of the Amer. Med. Association at San Francisco; but if not so, I certainly will be present at the meeting of the Editors Association.
Very respectfully yours
William Peppers
Many thanks for your kind sympathetic letter regarding the great calamity which has fallen on our city. The blow is terrible and far-reaching, and its consequences will be felt for years to come. The middle classes are by far the greatest sufferers. Public charity has provided fairly well for the poor, and the labouring classes: but the middle class can have no help rom this source, and having little insurance will suffer heavily. The capitalists are fairly covered, though many of them will lose from $20,000 to $70,000. All our public institutions are destroyed, also many of our academies and schools, and will only be able to get along in a lame way for years to come. Not even our public hall reading room or club room is spared. The Athenaeum is a great public loss. Fifteen years ago, after a long struggle in which I took a principal part, we succeeded in getting it erected. We had a capital library of 7000 vols. a fine concert hall etc. All are now in ashes. Our civilization is put back a quarter of a century. I notice already public spirit is paralyzed, it is every one for himself. People hardly know how they stand and dread the future. Our church suffers heavily. We were pretty well insured but the congregation is scattered and considerably weakened in contributing power. The burnt part of the city is a ghastly depressing sight, made worse even by the sight of a number of wretched shanties going up amid the chimney stalks and debris. Life socially will be another thing for a long time to come.
The amount of charitable assistance poured in is astounding, and gives one a better opinionof human nature. I think quite enough for all immediate wants has been received. It can hardly be expected that in a place like Newport and at such an exciting time any great amount of help could be looked for: nor do I think that now it would be desirable to make any appear. I fully appreciate you generous efforts to awaken public sympathy.
In Decronslaw(?) we had a very narrow escape, and no one expected for a moment that it would be saved. We did all we could to fight the fire but had little hope of success. We had out all that was portable, but on the whole lost little by breakages or by being stolen. Dr. Alf lost everything. Fortunately his wife and children were in country quarters, his town house was in the centre of the fire region and he saved only a few trinkets. He had a fine medical library. All is gone together with his instruments. He lost his own and wife's & children's clothing etc. NO a second coat left. He was insured for only $2000, about half value. He is now with us, but has got a furnished house at $150 per month.
My wife and I went through the excitement well and took no harm. I was a t work from 5 P.M. till 4 A.M.: got two hours sleep and was work telegraphing at 8 o'C. Looking back I don't know how I stood the labour etc. My daughter in law, poor Charley's widow, escaped. But from the excitement and exposure has had a bad attack of pleurisy from which she is slowly recovering. I have resumed my old habits pretty much as before, but feel life less "worth living." Capn. Delany is all right. I shall commit your sympathies to the others as I see them. It is difficult to find any one now.
With kindest regards to Mrs. Storer and yourself in which my wife joins. Ever sincerely yrs.
M.[A.?] Harvey.
[Naval War College]
U.S. Naval War College and Torpedo School,
Newport, R. I. September 17, 1892.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
58 Washington St. Newport, R.I.
My dear Sir:-
I am ashamed to have so long delayed acknowledging your letter of the 4th with enclosures. The neglect has been due to my putting it carefully away out of sight - so that, with my preoccupations, it has been constantly forgotten. The medals are most valuable, and will, I hope, prove the beginning of a collection that in the future will possess both value and interest. I beg to thank you most sincerely for your thought of the College.
Very truly yours,
A[lfred]. T[hayer]. Mahan
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
107 East 45th St.
14 Nov. 1892.
Dr. H.R. Storer,
Dear Sir,
I thank you very much for your note and the information you give me in reference to the poems your daughter possesses in MSS. of De. Parsons. We have most of those you mention.
I am not collecting my brother-in-law's works, but only his Dante translation.
A selection of his poems are being collected by his sister Mrs. Geo. Lunt, and will be published in due course of time.
My wife send her kindest remembrances to you.
Yours Sincerely
Luigi Montin
[Ethel-Dec.]
St. John's N. F.
Dec. 29th 1892
Dear Doctor Storer,
It was a great pleasure to me to receive your letter of the 11th instant; and to find that you and your's are in the enjoyment of good health.
I see by the clipping you enclose that you were the chief and almost the only contributor in Newport to the St. John's relief fund. Thre are so many similar cases occurring constantly that the wonder is there was such a liberal response to the appeal made on behalf of St. John's. I have been quite astonished at the stream of charity which flowed in upon us from all quarters when the nature and extent of our calamity became known. It gives one a better opinon of human nature. In money food and clothing the amount of relief two manths ago was over $300,000. Since then more has been received and the British Government have sent $72,000; so that the total is over $400,000. On the whole the Relief Committee distributed the public bounty carefully and judiciously, and it immensely releived the wide-spread suffering of our people. What the poorer portion would have done without such aid it is difficult ot imagine. I believe no case of genuine suffering was left unrelieved. The sumpathy displayed breathed fres courage into the hearts of the people. The work of re-building is going on rapidly; and in tow or three years, teh greater part of the burnt district wil be restored. Still the terrible blow to the progress and prosperity of the colony will long be felt.
I dare say you are right in explaining the cause of your city failing to respond to the appeal. I think the fact of it being the presidential year has much to do with the comparatively small amounts sent on from the great cities of the U.S. Men's minds were filled with the excitement of the political conflict. Still a large amount was received from that quarter. We got lately 12 barrels filled with second hand clothing collected by some friends in New York and Waterbuury--some very nice articles among them.
My wife and I were able to aid a large number of poor families by distributing this clothing among them. We also got a box of clothing from some ladies in Philadelphia I did not hear of any other amounts being sent from Newport, and if the Episcopalians collected, the proceeds would probably be sent here to Bishop Jones to help in rebuilding the Cathedral. We shall not commence re-building our church till May next. We have a snug little mission church in which we worship now.
In regard to the lobster incubators--Mr. Nielson took out no patent for them either here or elsewhere. There construction is an open secret, you or any one may use them freely. Canada has adopted the system. All doubt about the success is removed. I enclose a clipping showing our operations for 1892. As soon as Mr. Nielsen's report for this year is published I shall send you a copy. I dare say from a description of the incubators you could constructone, of course a model would be better. I have no doubt Mr. Nielsen would sen you one for the mere cost of construction, about $2 1/2. Did I send you last year's report? If not le me know. A paper of mine read at the last meeting of the Royal Society of Canada on the Artificial Propagation of Marine fishes and edible crustaceans will be published in a few days. I shall send you a copy. It excited much attention.
Mr. Smiths address is
A.G. Smith Esq
Broker
Remie's Mill Road.
The invalid boy is living still and in much the same condition.
I regret to say diptheria is still prevalent, but not in epidemic form. One of my grandchildren (poor Charley's eldest girl) was seized with it a fortnight ago. The attack was very light and she is already well and was out today for the frist time. The overcrowding in the west end of the city has probably comething to do with the present recrudescence. It is a horrible disease.
Mrs. Harvey and I have pleasant memories of your visit here and cordially reciprocate you own and Mrs. Storer's kindly greetings and good wishes.
Our great sorrow which occurred so soon after you left us, always associates its sad memories with that time. We must "wait the great teacher death" before we can obtain a key to these mysteries.
My wife and I enjoy good health.
Wishing you and your's a happy new year
Ever sincerely your's
M. Harvey
[Countway - 1994]
Mch 11 1893
12, Queen Anne Street,
Cavendish Square, W.
London
Dear Sir
Replying to your letter of 28 Feb: 93. I gladly comply with your request as far as _____ in my power.
Rubbings of the medal, on account of its high relief, ar not fesible: I send therefore two wax impressions - the best I can obtain at so short a notice. With plaster of Paris you will, I think, get very _____ "positives" of the medal.
I enclose a leaf from the Guys College Calendar; I dont think I have anything to add, unless it is that the subject, shich by the deed of gift we have the power to change- will be shortly changed; THe preent one but pres sutine an efficient scope for exanmintao for so valuable a prize.
The Prize was founded by my Mother in memory of my father a few years before her death: the Treasurer & Govs of teh Hospital being the Trustees of teh Fund.
The Medal was made& the well known from it to you.(?)(?)
Believe me
Dear Sir
Faitly yrs
C. H. Golding-Bird [Cuthbert Hilton, Golding-Bird - 1848-
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
B. Wladimiskaja 28
15 March 1893
[HRS note: Wrote 25 Oct. 1893]
My dear Dr. Storer
I have received your letter in Kiev, where I am for two months here & president of Medical examinations committee of the University. I shall return St Petersburg on the 10th of March.
I thank you sincerely for your kind attention to my work. I shall be very glad if your son Dr. Malcolm Storer would be willing to undertake the arrangements of the translation in English language of my manual, for the United States and Great Britain.
After my return in Petersburg I shall send you your Russian medals, also medicals, one edition published 10 years ago by Archaeological Society in Petersburg.
With my most sincere wishes for your health and happiness.
I am yours very faithfully
J. Lasarewidtcz
[Naval War College]
Naval War College
Newport R. I. May 21st [1893]
My dear Doctor,
Can you give me the name and address of any regular makers of cases for medals?
I find the only way to make a collection grow is to put them on Exhibition. I have received two facsimiles of medals commemorating the fight bewteen the Enterprise & Boxer and the Hornet & Penguin and with the medals you gave, these may make the nucleus of a collection of naval medals of value and interest.
Yours truly
C H. Stockton
Commander
U.S. Navy
Dr. Storer
Washington St Newport RI.
[HRS note: Answered 24 May 1893]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
University of Edinburgh
June 12th 1893
My dear Sir,
I duly received your letter of April 7th and being wholly ignorant of the subject of medals, & greatly occupied with my ordinary work, have not been able to do much in compliance with your request. But I have made inquiries in various directions, & have been relieved to find that evidently other friends of yours are at work, for I have been met with _____ that _____ was being sen elsewhere _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ to reach you.
Dr. Malcolm's wife died a few years ago, & I am at present attending him. He is 85 and become very brittle(?). But he was much gratified when _____ _____ _____ regarding his welfare.
I look back with pleasure to the little service I was able to do for you & Mrs Storer when you were in Edinburgh.
By the way if you have been to Black wood's _____ for I_____ you will see a little paper of mine on a subject wh. may interest you."h_____ on Medicine(?) in Scotland in the days of Queen Mary." It is practically a _____ of the address I gave as President of the _____ Society last April.
With kind regards I remain
Yours very truly
T[homas] Granger Stewart
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Bowdoin College
Brunswick, Me.
June 27, 1893
Miss Abby M Storer
476 Boylston St
Boston Mass.
Dear Miss Storer,
It gives me great pleasure to inclose a recent vol of our Trustees and Overseers, in recognition of your generous and valued gift to our College.
Very truly yours
Wm W. Hyde [What was the gift?]
[Harvard Archives]
Executive Department
City of Newport, R.I.
Mayor's Office
Aug 22nd 1893
To.
Dr. H.R. Storer M.D.
Dear Sir,
You are hereby appointed a delegate to represent this city at The Pan-American Medical Congress which will be held in the city of Washington, D.C. Sept 5th, 6, 7, & 8th proximo. Hoping that you will accept the appointment and Go, I am
Yours sincerely
J.W. Horton
Mayor.
[Countway - 1994]
6, Upper King Street,
Leicester.
Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport
Rhode Island,
Sir
Yours of August 16th has been duly received by Mr. Richardson and he has requested me to answer it on his behalf, and I think if you can give me some further particulars of the nature of the details you require about medals issued by the Pharmaceutical & some other allied societies of London I can can obtain the information as I am also a member of the Pharmaceutical Society, and a fellow of hte Chemical & Linnean Society of London.
Of course it is a little difficult to obtain information concerning medals issued 50 years ago but I have already written concerning these and if fortunate will forward you the information as soon as it reaches me.
The Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain issue the following medals yearly. ...
If you will let me know I should be very pleased to give you any information that lays in my power.
In conclusion I may say I am Laboratory Manager & Analyst with Messrs J Richardson & fo(?) of this town
Yours very sincerely
Lewis Augh [Ough, Lewis ]
[HRS notes "Answered 10 Oct. 1893" "Wrote to my former pharmacists 10 Oct, 1893 & Sent rubbing of R_____" "Sent July prog"]
[Countway - 1994]
THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE,
Nos. 17, 19 & 21 West 43d Street.
Instituted January 6th, 1847. Incorporated June 23d 1851.
New York Oct. 30 1893
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Dear Doctor -
I have received your favor of the 26th inst. I beg your pardon if you think I tried to elude you, on the contrary I looked for you to call on me in the Library daily, after your visit in the evening with your ladies. I was in the Library and if you had come in the Library you would have found me at my post. I inclose rubbings of the medals we have in the Library others than those you saw.
Yours most respectfully
John S. Brownne
[HRS notes: "Answered 23 Dec. 1893 & sent rubbings of the NY" others that probably could be read on the original]
[Countway]
Chicago, Nov. 36 93
Dear Dr. Storer,
I hope you have not thought I had forgotten you & your interest in medals.
I found the case cld. not be opened or taken from the wall during the Exposition.
I wrote a note last week to Mrs Cope, the lady in charge of the British exhibits in the Womans Building, & was answered by Mrs. A.A. Bond formerly a trained nurse (English) now the wife of a physician here living at 4802 Lake Ave. Kenwood.
She asked me to come to her house to see them last eve'g. She had them all out of the case & as I had numbered them as thy hung, I c'ldn't tell them now except by my description to you & memory.
I tried to trace them on paper, with very poor success as very few were flat. I send you the paper, perhaps you can med our something. I made out the marginal letters & on the reverse.
I hadn't any magnifying glass or millimeter measure.
Mrs Bond gave me the address of Miss De Pledge & advised your writing to her, perhaps she can give you "prints or photos." She is the lady who got up the exhibit and she knows what they all are & everything about them.
She was here in the summer & was visiting Mrs Bond, & you can use Mrs B's name.
Miss De Pledge will be much pleased that her little exhibit has been of so much interest & attracted your notice. She is an officer in the Chelsea Infirmary, I forget just what.
The medal given by Dr Morrell Mackenzie was not there & it didn't seem to me that Mrs Bond has all of them. But this was all I could do. Mrs B. tried to draw one wh. I enclose. This doesn't give any idea how pretty they are.
I rec'd yr. pamphlets. I'm afraid Newport won't do for us, too cold & too little business. I shall be here this month anyway. Regards to Mrs S.
Yrs. truly
A. E. Tyng
[acknowledged 9 nov 1893]
[Ethel-October 1993]
Harvard University,
Cambridge, February 21st, 1894
Dear Dr. Storer,
I will talk with some of the leaders of the Medical Faculty about the very original and interesting suggestion contained in your note of February 20th. I am in pretty much your condition in regard to the Medical Faculty, except that I of course know personally all of its members; but there is only one person now in the Medical Faculty that was in it when I first joined that Faculty, and he had no vote in 1869. The rest are all new-comers within my time. Indeed, as I had occasion to state in a public meeting last night at Sanders Theatre, our of 385 gentlemen connected with Harvard University as fellows, teachers, librarians, etc., there are only six with whose selection or promotion I have not been concerned.
Your son John has been of great service to us in connection with the coin collection in the College Library. The entire collection is now well catalogued and well mounted. It does not grow as fast as we could wish; but it is in a thoroughly creditable condition.
Very truly yours,
Charles W. Eliot
H. R. Storer, M.D.
[Countway - 1994]
PHYSIOLOGICAL LABORATORY,
HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL,
BOYLSTON & EXETER STS.
BOSTON, Apr 17 1894
Dear Prof Storer,
In my hasty note of yesterday I fear I failed to express my apprciatio of the compliment my friends have paid me in nominating me for the office of vice president of the Academy. [What Academy? Letter must be to Prof. Francis H. Storer and not HRS!] I assure you I am not insensible to it but taking all the circumstance into consideration it does not seem to me desirable that I should be a candidate this year at any rate. I will explain the matter to Scudder when I see him. Meanwhile believe me, with sincere thanks to you all,
YOurs very truly
H. P. Bowditch [Henry Pickering ]
[Ethel-Dec.]
New Abbey
25 July 1894
My Dearest Dr. Storer & Frances.
What a boon yhou have conferred on me! a boon I shall never forget. I received you kind and welcome note in due time, announcing the delightful promise of a visit from "Little Agnes" about the 22d inst. On Wednesday the 18th a note arrives from Glasgow, from Little Agnes herself desiring to know what day would be most convenient for paying me a visit. Considering that the next day (Thursday) could hardly suit her, that friday was a fish-day, saturday a busy day, and sunday no day at all, I telegraphed back Monday the 22d. After a hot morning's work in the garden on Thursday, I was sitting in my little room to cool myself before going upstairs to shave and dress. The girl enters announcing "a lady calls, Sir." Who is it? I inquire. But ere a reply could be got, in pops the lady herself, walks without a word up to my chair and gives me a kiss. Aye: to be sure: and no mistake: this is "Little Agnes" herself!!! The dear charming creature! You may imagine our mutual delight; for words wont describe it. You may imagine also the consternation of my housekeeper who intended having proper preparations made for Monday following, but now she had nothing whatever! and nothing to be obtained nearer at hand than Damfries with which no available communication for the time existed. However, Agnes herself will describe to you how we all got on. aAt table I made her take her mamma's chair and place next the window. I was surprised afterwards in the summer house when she asked for the small three-legged stool she used to sit on when last there. I had forgot all about it; but at last remembered that it did exist once, but had gone to pieces from old agen ahd hard usage some years ago.
She will tell you herself what a happy afternoon and evening we had of it, and how we spent the next day, til it came to the painful moment of separation. She did not leave me hosever without some hope of a return and a long stay at some not distant future. I do hope tha that future will not be very distant, but that you may be able to manage and arrange for the dear child a speedy return and a long stay at New Abbey. Feeling most grateful for your recent kindness I remain
Yours, most affectionately
W. Downie
New Abbey
25 July 1894
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
10 August 18?? [guess is that it was same Agnes trip as New Abbey above]
My dear Dr. Storer
We were talking last night about Jean Dassier the Genoan(?) medalist. You may be interested in the enclosed photograph of the medal of John Knox struck about 1660 by Deosin. I had the medal photographed recently, but the picture has not yet been published. It realizes the man much more that the ordinary pictures. It may be from a portrait now lost, taken which Knox was a refugee in Geneva between 1554 and 1559 when he returned to Scotland. It closely corresponds with a minute description we have of Vienna(?) in a letter by Sir Peter Young, _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ .
Miss Storer admired the pictures of old Gedies(?) in the _____ a _____ case of Webster the photographer, at Princess Street. A small edition done of these I inclose for her acceptance. It represents my mother and her youngest great grandchild, the one 84 years and the other 84 days old. My mother died at the age of 89 two months ago, after a long day, well spent.
If Mrs. Storer will do me the honor to accept the enclosed little life of my father I shall be much pleased.
With warm regards
Yours very sincerely
Charles J. Guthrie
[Countway - 1994 B MS c55.3 -- Andrews, Robert Robbins, 1844-1921 to BRACKETT]
Dr. R.R. Andrews
432 Harvard St.
Cambridge.
My dear Dr Brackett,
I sent you by mail yesterday a plaster cast of each of the COlumbian Dental Medals. The medal is of copper bronze. dark red in color or perhaps nearer dark brown red. I trust it is what is wanted.
With kindest regards
I am very truly yours
R. R. Andrews.
Nov 16th 1894
[Countway]
Sustria Graz, Schlogelgesse No 9
18 November 94.
My dear Sir
will be so kind to excuse my long silence to your amiable letter 23 March 94; but when you hear, that I left Meran with my son, Arthru and the lady (presenting the lady of the house) and all the furniture and 100 things accumulated, to emigrate to Graz, capital of the province of Styre(?) you will understand my silence.
And then a very short but very vivacious season at Bad Gersein and then an emigration again, all this may excuse me And finally I waited till I could find a friend and knower of medical numismatics but unhappily I could not find. I was to the Museum of Numismatics here, but there are only medals of the province of Styre, But I will send your catalogue to the Museum at Vienna and I hope, I would find, what you desire.
My only son has absolved the Gymnasium at Meran and entered here the polytechnical school And I was obliged to bring (make) again a sacrifice in wandering 1885 from Nice to Meran, and now from Meran to Graz and to transfer my practice here (my dear wife died on February 1888.)
I received the following letter from Miss Elisabeth Rivinus, who left long ago Leipzig, where she has still a cousin. Will you present my best compliments to your dear lady and also accept the best wishes for your health of both and also the photogram of
Dear Sir
Yours very affectionatel
Dr. Gustavus Proell
[Countway - 1994]
DR. E.L. HOLMES,
OFFICE: 31 WASHIGNTON STREET,
The Marshall Field Building,
Residence: 530 West Adams Street.
Chicago, Dec 28 1894
Dear Dr. Storer
The Knox medallion presents a perfect profile of teh right side of the face with the neck and top of the shoulders. The collar, cravat and coat collar are seen. Dr. Knox was born July 28, 1840 and died June 1892.
The Gunn medallion presents also teh right side of the face in profile although the left brow is dimly seen - The top of the linen collar, coast collar and the cravat are shown. The artist was Howard Kretschmer, 264 Michigan Avenue.
Dr. Gunn was born April 20, 1822 adn died Nov 4th 1887.
Most truly
E. L. Holmes [HOLMES, Edward Lorenzo, 1828-1900]
[HRS note reads "Acknowledged 2 Jan 1895"]
[Countway - 1994]
Edinrg 11 Wernyss(?) Place
April 15 1895.
Dear Sir
I am unable to furnish you with the particulars of the medal you mention except that it was given by the Aesculapian as you describe. In Andrew Dimcon's(?) enclosed burial place at Bucclaugh(?) church in Edinbrg, & restored in 1892 by the Aesculapian. Are several slabs bearing inscriptions evidently in remembrance of students who found favor with him. One of these, so weather worn that the letering could barely be deciphered, bor the name of Darwin upon it. This upon enquiry turned out to be the uncle of the illustrious naturalist of our own time. It records that Chas: Darwin died in 1778. It is also recorded that he died of blood poisoning resulting from dissecting the brain of a child dying of Hydrocephalus. This is not mentioned on the slab but by ANdrew Duncan, who adds that he was attended by Drs Cullen & Black along whih his own father an English physician of some eminence. He was a member of the Roy: Med: Society of Eding. A meeting of which he attended while alboring under this last illness; he died at the age of 20(?) years.
That I think is about all the information on the matter, I have to give. I think the gentleman's name was Dr Simpson to whom I gave "The Records" I am glad you found them interesting & I am
Yours Very Truly
J. Smith
Horatio R. Storer Esq
["Answered 6 May- 1895"]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
1445 Mass Ave
Washington D.C. Oct 6th 1895
Dear Doctor Storer
I am in receipt of your note of the 1st instant and after faithful search for any _____ relative to a Doctor Lannox, Lonoox, Laroox & other spellings of the name I regret to say that I possess nothing. I was glad to hear from you and infer you are in fare health. For myself I am on the down grade and am afflicted with many of the infirmities of age. I have practically given up practice and only occasionally can I do any writing.
Some months since you wrote to me you were overhauling a lot of old medical journals & proffered to me for filling my incomplete files such as yours might furnish. When I went to Mr. Spoffard of the Congressional Library in which the Toner collection is stored he was unable at the time to give any attention to the matter owing to the piled up and over crowded state of the library to furnish deficiencies(?), so I fear I shall loose this valuable chance to add to my files. Have you disposed of your old journals?
Please present my pleasant memo of Miss Agnes
With high regards
I rem yours
J.M. Toner
[Countway - 1994]
E. R. Squibb, M.D.
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Brooklyn, October 18th, 1895
My dear Doctor,
I beg your pardon for having allowed your note of Sept. 16, to be lost in the confusion of my desk But as I could not give you the desired description of the Fluckiger Medal I enclosed your note and cutting to one of Prof Fluckigers daughters, - Miss Mary Fluckiger, of 38 Schwarstorstrasse, Bern, Switzerland, and asked her to supply the description directly to you, and if she has the description I doubt not you will in due time receive it.
Very truly yours,
E. R. Squibb [ Edward Robinson, 1819-1900]
["Acknowledged 20 Oct"]
[Countway]
American Medical Association
Section on Materia Medica, Pharmacy, and Therapeutics.
Next Annual Meeting, Atlanta, Ga., May 5-8, 1896.
April 7th 1896
Col. H.R. Stone(sic),M.D.
58 Washington St.
Newport.R.I.
Dear Doctor:--
I am much obliged to you for the information in your esteemed favor of the 4th inst. I had forgotten that Dr J.D.Taylor of Philadelphia had written on the subject of "Badge for Medical Men", but now you mention the matter, it recalls the fact to my memory. I think it would go far in making a universal badge for the medical profession popular if the American Medical Assn, would adopt an official badge. The lapel button that you suggested is a handsome and appropriate design and might be adopted as a universal badge for the recognition of medical men everywhere, and to it attached an appropriate pendant of some kind to represent the A.M.A. I for one would like to do away with the variety of badges that members wear during the meetings of the association. The idea of a badge of identification is an excellent one but I object to wearing such a badge as the one we had at Baltimore for example. It might be well to bring the whole matter before the business committee for discussion when the association meets at Atlanta. I hope to meet you at Atlanta. My address will be Hotel Aragon. I would prefer to see a committee appointed to take the matter into consideration so that it might report at the meeting of the association, in 1897. Would you be willing to serve on such a committee?
Enclosed I send you a design for a badge which I originated to be used by the Powers College of Pharmacy, Philadelphia, The college was organized and a charter secured for it and for two years I held a professor's chair therein. But the board of trustees were not successful in obtaining the endowment they expected, and my impression is that the college has been dropped. The badge therefore has no special significance. You might add it to your list of medical badges however, as it is considered by many as a very handsome design.
Yours very truly,
F. E. Stewart [106 Charlotte Ave., Detroit Mich., Chairman of the Section-taken from letterhead.]
[Countway - 1994]
DR. F. A. CASTLE
51(?) WEST 53RD ST
NEW YORK
Mar 5, '96
My Dear Docotr: I am sorry to have been away when you called and hope that you may come again & that I may be more fortunate.
I inclose a card for a Grolier(?) exhibition and also one to the Curator in case you might like to see the few medals, owned by the club, which mostly reat to the arts of book-making. Mr Martin is most likely to be there in the afternoon.
Yours truly
F. A. Castle [Frederick Albert, 1842-1902]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
ROPES, GRAY & LORING
BOSTON, 50 STATE STREET.
1 June 1896.
Dear Doctor Storer:
I thank you for your interesting letter of yesterday, and will assuredly bear the matters you speak of in mind. Malcolm has just rendered me a great service in regard to my Napoleon Medals, or rather those which were once mine but which I gave to the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts.
Very Sincerely yrs
J.C. Ropes
[Countway]
Chicago Ill. June 17th 1896
65 Randolph Street
To H. R. Storer M.D.
Dear Doctor: Your letter of the 15th inst. is received. The portrait of Dr. Jenner accompanying Dr. Nevitt's article was prepared on paper suitable for framing by F. H.D. Didama Syracuse M.D. and distributed to members of the Association present at the reading my Address. It is probably that he has enough copies left to supply you those you need without trouble or expense. I sent your paper to the Editor of the Journal of the Association as soon as it was received; and a few days later I carried to the Editor's Office the important paper of Dr Eugene Foster which was the last of the series, but I did not find him in, and I have heard nothing from him since.
I will try again to see the Editor of the Journal in a few days.
Yours truly
N.S. Davis
[Naval War College]
Personal
Naval War College,
Newport, R. I. June 22, 1896.
My dear Sir: -
I have just written to the Numismatic and Archaeological Society, thanking them very cordially for their kindness in presenting the College with the Columbus Medal, which has been received; in in this connection we wish to return our thanks to you, through whose good offices we are indebted for this interesting and valuable addition to our collection.
Your continued good will towards the College has been a source of much pleasure to us and it has been a great encouragement to us in our labors, to feel that men of your standing were watching with interest the progress of this School of War.
With renewed thanks, I am Sir,
Yours very truly,
H. C. Taylor
Captain U.S.Navy.
Doctor Horatio Storer,
Newport R.I.
[Countway - 1994]
DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
BUREAU OF MEDICINE AND SURGERY
Personal. WASHINGTON, D.C.
July 25, 1896.
My dear Dr. Storer:-
I beg to thank you for copy of your paper published in "American Journal of Numismatics", giving description of medal received form the Red Cross Society of Venezuela.
Yours most truly,
J. R. Tryon [James Rufus, 1837-1912]
Surgeon-General, U.S. Navy
[Countway - 1994]
DR. JOSEPH H. HUNT
1085 BEDFORD AVE. COR. QUINCY ST.,
OFFICE HOURS, BEFORE 9 A. M. AND 4 TO 7 P.M.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.
24-7-96
Dear Dr. Storer!
Please pardon my dilatoriness in failing to sooner reply to your last communications as I have been out of the city away from my data etc.
Your inquiries in regard to my medical numismatic collection I have answered as well as I am able upon your sheets of questions, which I return annotated unintelligibly I know but I fear that if I attempted to write out a distinct reply I would get more mixed up than ever.
I have neglected to get a description of the other L. J. C.H. medal, but will do so when Dr. Raymond (The Sec'ty) returns in Sept.
The Jenner portrait you were so kind as to send me a proof of, is from the painting by Sir Thomas Lawrence, now in the possession of the Royal College of Physicians, Reproduced in Putnam's biog. and No. I of my list.
Have you seen the list of portraits in the Br. Med Jour. It contains several inexcusable blunders for instance: My Nos. 19 & 24, they list as identical, whereas Northcott evidently painted their distinct portraits.
& They describe a port. of "Jenner in acochuahat(?)," which is in reality a portrait of Dr. Sims, from Medley's group of the Founders of the Med. Soc. of London, which some one has printed with the name of Dr. Jenner under it. There is a portrait of Jenner in the same group, which looks no more like the man in a cocked hat tan it does President Cleveland.
& I think th_____ _____ mistaken about Montoerde's statue being at _____logn. _____ _____ a picture of a statue of Jenner at Boulagn which represents him as standing and holding a lancet in his right hand. It is not probable that there would be two statues of Jenner in the same city.
You could have added many to their list, though they have some new to me.
I see that they have given your list of Jenner medals. & The strongest(?) and one of the best portraits of Jenner which the season(?) has produced is that by the Japanese, published in the Sri-i-kmai Medical Journal at Tokyo. I think that it is either a study fork, or from the bust by Mr. Fujita Bunzo, exhibited at the recent vaccination centennial in Tokyo.
I take the liberty of inclosing the only token in my collection with which you seemed to be unacquainted, hoping that you will add it to your collection.
Thanks for the reprint form the Jour. of Numismatics. When I found myself credited with having presented you with our Kings C. medal, I regretted (too late) that I had not specified when sending it that it was from the Entertainment Committee, who controlled the distribution and only made me their agent.
I have one for the Hist. Society & also one for your son's Harvard Collection. Have not mailed them yet.
I suppose that you have received official notice that at the last meeting of our Kings Co. Society, we did ourselves the honor of electing you an honorary member, together with Dr. Pepper and Welch. That we are not in the habit of electing honorary members promiscuously will be understood when I tell you that you are the only ones now living. It is several years since one was elected.
I am fraternally your's
Jos H. Hunt
[HRS Note: "Answered 2 Aug. 1896, & sent list of British duplicates - Enclosed Dentists tokens"]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
42 Garden Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts
20 augst 1896
[|HRS: answered 23 Aug.]
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Cher Docteur
numismatique
Jules Marion
[Naval War College]
Personal
Naval War College,
Newport, R. I. December 8, 1896.
My Doctor Storer: -
I showed the enclosed coin or medal to Mr. J.Andrews Swan of Gibbs Avenue when he showed me his collection of medals and coins and he told me he thought it was quite interesting, perhaps unique and asked me to show it to you and get your opinion about it. I would not venture to trouble you with it but that Mr. Swan thought you would be interested in looking at it. It has been for several generations in our family and came I think from the nort of England.
You may return it by the bearer unless you wish to have a closer look at it in which case he will call or it tomorrow or some day you may assign.
Yours very truly,
H[enry]. C. Taylor
Captain U.S.Navy, President
Dr. R.H. Storer,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, R.I.
[HRS: Answered 9 Dec. 1896 ]
[Partially xeroxed HRS note at top: "Fairfax & _____ Cromwell _____ 1660
just after Cromwell's de_____ & at time of restoration _____ Sir Tho Fai_____ Archbp Land.]
[Naval War College]
Personal
Naval War College,
Newport, R. I. December 11, 1896.
My dear Sir: -
Thank you very much for your interesting note about the satirical medal. According to the book Mr. Swan showed me the letters on this medal are abbreviations of Dutch words. This book, I have forgotten its name - describes almost exactly this medal and gives a representation of it which tallies very closely, but it speaks only of these medals being made of copper. For this reason Mr. Swan thought the medal unique.
Again thanking you for your kindness as well as for the good will you have shown towards the College while I have been here, I remain, with much respect,
Yours very truly,
H[enry]. C. Taylor
Captain U.S.Navy, President
Dr. R.H. Storer,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, R.I.
[Countway - 1994]
From the DEAN
BRISTOL ROYAL INFIRMARY 22nd April 1897
Thursday
5. Lansdown Place
Clifton
Dr Horatio R. Storer
Newport
Rhode Island, USA
Dear Sir
Kindly excuse delay in replying to your note received last February.
I now enclose wax-impression of the Obverse & Reverse of the "Suple" prize medal, which dates from 1849.
Two are given annually, one for proficiency in Clinical Medicine, and one in Clinical Surgery. The Regulations are enclosed.
...
May I ask the favour of an "offprint" of the account you will be publishing in the "American Journal of Numismatics."
I am, dear Sir,
Yours very truly
Arthur B. Prowse
[HRS note: "Answered 4 May 1897"]
[Countway - 1994]
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BRISTOL
FACULTY OF MEDICINE.
Professor E. MARKHAM SKERRITT, M.D., F.R.C.P., Dean.
Ar. 26th 1897
My dear Sir,
In reply to your post-card I have the pleasure ot inclose was impression of the Committee Medal awarded annually by the Committee of the Bristol General Hospital. You will observe the Hospital Arms, which incorporate the City Arms (ship & castle).
The blank on the other side received teh name of the successful candidate, with the date of the award.
Two medals, one god & the other silver, are given annually - the regulations being as under:-
...
I may sat that the hospital suppled the clinical instruction (together with the Infirmary) supplementin gthe systematic course of lectures of the College.
I understand that you have already received particulars of the Super Medal.
No other medical medals are awarded in Bristol.
Yours very truly,
E. Markham Skerritt.
Dr H. R. Storer.
[HRS Note: "Answered 11 May 1897"]
[Countway - 1994]
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE BRISTOL
FACULTY OF MEDICINE.
Professor E. MARKHAM SKERRITT, M.D., F.R.C.P., Dean.
June 9th 1897
My dear Sir,
I regret that the impressions came to grief in transit. You have made them out correctly except that the date is 1832 not 1732.
The Jenner Medal was not struck by any public body. It was offered by Mr. Moechler, the possessor of a collection of "Jenner relics," as an additional inducement to people to subscribe to a fund which was to purchase this collection from him & present it to our College. Thre transaction has noy yet been completed.
Yours very truly,
E. Markham Skerritt.
Dr H. R. Storer.
["Acknowledged"]
[Countway - 1994]
7 THE CRESCENT Birmingham
195 Newhall Street,
10th June 1897.
Dear Dr Storer,
I have long known you are a collector of medical medals and if I had ever seen anything of the kind I should have communicated with your. I was so tickled by seeing Gravely recorded by your pen a description of a friendly sketch of myself made for for the fun of the thing by Joseph Moore. I think you are wrong about the medal to Charles Darwin in 1797 by the Society of Edinburgh. It must have been to Robert Darwin his father, or more likely still to Erasmus Darwin because Charles was not born until 1812. The Birmingham Natural History Gives an annual medal known as a Darwin medal in competition and if you wanted that I dare say I could get it for you in Bronze but it si hardly a medical medal. I know of no colection of medical medals but your own.
Yours truly, John Tait [could it be "Lawson" not John? Did not copy the Countway label unfortunately.]
handwritten at bottome (same hadn as signature)
or was it E. Darwin eldest son who died young? Now I might get it for you but of the family who are with knight(?) born
[HRS note "Answered 25 June 1897"]
[Countway - 1994 B MS c55.3 -- Darwin Francis, 1848 - 1925 to Lawson TAIT]
4 The Crescent, Cromer
I am afraid I can be of no help in the matter of the medal We have not got it and I do not know were it is
F. Darwin
[HRS notes: "Acknowledged 27 July 1897" "Edinburgh C. Darwin Medal"]
[Naval War College]
Personal.
Naval War College,
Newport, R.I. June 19, 1897.
My dear Sir: -
On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday next at 11.45 a. m. Surgeon C.A. Siegfried, U. S. Navy, will deliver lectures at the Naval War College on "Naval Hygiene". At the request of Surgeon Siegfried I take pleasure in inviting you to be present at these lectures.
Yours very truly,
C[asper]. F. Goodrich
Commander U.S. Navy, President.
Dr. R. H.(sic) Storer,
Washington Street,
Newport, R.I.
[Countway - 1994]
War Department,
Library of the Surgeon General's Office,
Washington, June 21, 1897
Sir:
I am directed by the Surgeon General to acknowledge the receipt of the publications noted in the annexed sheet, presented to the library by you and for which he desires to return thanks.
Very respectfully,
J.C. Allwill
Major and Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Librarian, S.G. O.
To Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport R.I.
"Prowse, A. B. The bounds of the forest of Dartmouth"
Prospectus of Classes, Session 1896-7. Victorian University, University cCollege, Liverpool, Med. Faculty.
&c &c
3 Pamphlets.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Washington, D.C., September 20, 1897
[HRS: Answered 25 Sept. 1897]
Dr. H.R. Storer
Newport R.I.
Dear Sir:
In answer to your letter of the 14th inst. to Dr. D.L. Huntington, who is still absent in Europe, requesting information in regard to certain medals in this collection I would state the following:
Donders Schulman Cat. 267 has S. de Vries ...
I enclose rough sketches of German and Bavarian red crosses.
Very respectfully
Walter Reed
Surgeon USA
[Countway - 1994]
226, BOULEVARD SAINT-GERMAIN
le Samoli de 9 h. a 11 h.
18 Oct 1897
Dear Sir,
I have the honour to send you a short description of both medals D'Re'camier has received of the terrible catastrophe of the charity bazar. In both cases, these medals are common salvage medals.
I interest always myself with numismatics and am very happy receive your important contributions on medical medals. My collection is not yet very large, it contains no more thatn 500 or 600 pieces, but I hope to extend it more and more. It is indeed not yet classed, for want of place in my former house, my new installation is not yet finished. I hope to be able in the curent of this winter or of the spring to class my collection and to make you some connumication about it.
I am, dear Sir,
Yours very faithfully
R. Blanchard
[HRS note: "Answered 23 March 1898"] [6 months delay in responding??]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.,
Washington, DE. D., November 4, 1897
Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport R.I.
Dear Doctor:
I have been offered a medal of "Dr. Ludwig Wihdthorst." The reverse gives: Geb. 17 Jan. 1812. Sein Leben waf Kostlich, voll Muhe und ASrbeit von Jugent on bis zu seiniem Tode 14. Maerz 1891.
Was he a medical man? I can find nothing of him in our Library.
Very sincerely,
D. L. Huntington [David Low ... 1834-1899]
Deputy Surgeon General, U.S.Army,
In charge of Museum & Library Division
[HRS note "Answered 8 Nov 1897"]
[Newport Historical Society-Newport Coin & Medal Club Correspondence]
Andrew C. Zabriskie,
52 Beaver Street
New York, December 15th 1897
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
I have still a very few copies of the Muhlenberg Medal to dispose of and it occurs to me that it might be acceptable to teh Newport Coin & Medal Club, if that body is still in existence.
I would also like to give the Club a copy of the Grant Monument Medal.
Does the Club desire any numismatic books; if so I have several volumes which I would be pleased to contribute?
Trusting that you are well. I am
Very truly yours
Andrew C. Zabriskie
[HRS note: "Answered 17 Dec. 1897"]
[Countway]
Taunton, Mass., Dec 10 1897
H. R. Storer, M.D.
Dear Sir
Will you please send me your paper on "Criminal Abortion read before R. I. Med Soc, and I will reimburse you for such expense as you may be put to.
yours
F. C. Walker, M.D.
Taunton, Mass
10 & Highld
[sent copy 11 Dec-& answered]
[Newport Historical Society-Newport Coin & Medal Club Correspondence]
Andrew C. Zabriskie,
52 Beaver Street
New York, December 21st 1897
My dear Dr. Storer:-
I am very glad to hear of the continued prosperity of the Newport Coin & Medal Club and I thank you for your letter of the 17th insatant,(sic) as well as for the copy of the "Newport Herald".
When it serves you to come to New York again, I am sure I as an individual, as well as the Society [Numismatic & Archaeological], of which I am the head, will welcome you at its room and will be only too glad to place at your disposal all our material for use in your very interesting pursuit.
I shall send by express today two numismatic b... ... medal, in bronze, which I beg you will presnt on my individual behalf to your Society.
Very truly yours,
Andrew C. Zabriskie
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Newport R. I.
[Countway - 1994]
WILLIAM S. DISBROW, M.D.
Dear Doctor Storer
Here is another batch to bother yhou - and I suppose you will leave a mile or two of questions in revenge.
I will answer y\our last letter soon.
Yours very sincly- but i haste.
William S[tephen] Disborw [1861-1922-- letter from Newark N.J.]
[HRS note: "Answered 27 Dec 1897 & wrote 13 Jan, 1898"]
[Newport Historical Society-Newport Coin & Medal Club Correspondence]
Andrew C. Zabriskie,
52 Beaver Street
New York, February 24th 1898
Horatio R. Storer, M. D.
Newport, Rhode Island.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
I enclose herewith the following;
Three (3) small Lincoln medals from the large Lincoln medal issued by the American Numismatic & Archaeological Society, by Messrs. Wyon, of London, they are of considerable interest and quite rare. If a magnifying glass is used, the lettering on the wreath can be made out.
Seven (7) Polish Copper coins and one (1) French Copper coin.
Five (5) Political Medals.
Four (4) Copperhead Tokens.
Two (2) specimens of New York Continental money.
Sincerely yours,
Andrew C. Zabriskie
[Countway]
Dr. Daniel G. Brinton,
Media,
Penna.
Mch. 15 1898
Dear Dr. Storer:
Someone has had the kindness to send me a copy (reprint) of your article in the Atlantic Medical Weekly (Oct 2/97) on Criminal Abortion.
Although for some years I have not been active in medical questions, my interest in them continues especially where they touch sociology.
For this reason, I think you will not take it amiss if I send you some observations on your article, even if thy are in the nature of objections to some of your statements.
My first objection is to the general statement on p. 25 (reprint) that the larger families of foreign parents "is to be explained by the watchful protection exercised by the Catholic church, etc."
This statement, which is a repetition of one previously made, (by you) assumes two premises, first that the "foreign parents" were Catholics; and second, that (as is stated by you elsewhere, p. 15) that "For religious reasons induced abortion practically never occurs among Catholics."
The census statistics of 1890 show that the large families of foreign parents are common among Protestants as well as Catholic immigrants; so your first premise is not applicable.
As to the second, how you can say it, when you well know that the country of all other where means are most employed to prevent conception and destroy foetal life, -France,- has a population 95% of whom are Catholics,-this I can only explain by an unwillingness to state the full facts of the case.
Again you must know that the three causes of small families which you name on p. 31 are by no means exhaustive, and that it is superficial to consider them so. You must be acquainted with the studies of Dumong, Laponge & the other French students of this intricate & complex problem. Not to mention them in an essay intended for either scientific or popular reading is a sad oversight.
For these reasons, I regret the dissemination of the Essay, though I agree that the subject ought to be discussed & that no one could discuss it more ably than you, if you would approach it without prejudice. I remain
Very truly yours,
D. G. Brinton
[Countway - 1994]
MAYOR'S OFFICE
CITY OF MONROE, MICH.
GEO. F. HEATH, M.D.
Apr 15th 98
My dear doctr:
I want to thank you for the Report of the Newport R. I. Coin & Medal Club and congratulate you all in your good work in the cause of the science we love so well. I wish we had a hundred such societies and a hundred such men as you to President them. Then would our collecting foourish as it should and become a furor.(?) These reports I shall use and hope to catch up with you ere long. I am continuing the Numismatist to you and when you get Nov-Dec 97 _____ _____ _____ _____ x and you are disposed you may omit(?) the subscription & send a fe_____ to use in your club among its members.
We are _____ing the Assn also &(?) I _____ you card which I hope you will fill out and send on at once. I am not asking any office, but if I can get things going again in the _____ of _____ _____ not refuse. I have enough else on my hands bu t I am willint to sacrifice for its time to aid thing in moving forward.
Yours trl
Geo S. Heath
Dr. H. R. Storer
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT
Surgeon General's Office
Washington, April 28, 1898
Mr. H. R. Storer
Newport R. I.
Trhough Colonel Dallas Bache, Ssst. Surg. Gen's U.S. Army
Sir:
Your account for medical medals, furnished for the use of teh Army Medical Museum washington, D.C., April 9th & 15th 1898
amounting to $6.60, has been approved for $6.60 and sent ot Lieut. Col. Ch. Smart Dep'y Surgeon General, USArmy, D.O. Med. Dept. Washington D.C. for settlement.
No deduction has been made.
Very respectfully,
Geo W. _____ _____
Surgeon General, U.S. Army
[Brown University Library]
The
Spofford
Libraries
Sept., 1st., 1898.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Sir:-
My "Library of Choice Literature" is now ready in its completed form. It is the result of many years of literary labor and the expenditure of over half a million dollars.
Many of my friends now in Washington from all parts of the Country have suggested that a few sets be placed in each locality at the initial price, and have volunteered to furnish a list of the most influential people, and believing from information received that you will be interested, I enclose an addressed card.
Assuring you that I shall take pleasure, with your permission, in submitting to you sample pages and placing you in possession of full particulars, I am
Faithfully yours,
Ainsworth R. Spofford
Editor.
621 Seventh St., N. W.
Washington, D. C.
[Countway - Oct. 1994]
Rome, Nov 1st - 1898
H. Storer
Owing(?) to some thing connected with the Customs at Toronto, I did not receive the Parcel this this PM.
I hasten to forward your Consignment.
Very truly
C. E. Fraser - M. A.(?)
_____ Geo Washington St.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
226, Boulevard Saint-Germain
10 de'cembre 1898
Cher monsieur,
[letter in french]
R. Blanchard
[HRS: Answered 23 dec. 1898]
[Harvard Archives]
Harvard Graduates' Magazine
William R. Thayer, '81, Editor
Cambridge, Mass.,
Dec. 15, 1898
Dear Sir:
Please excuse delay in getting this answer to you. It took some time, after I began the search, to find out who knew about the Medal. It seems that your son really knows more than the rest of us.
Very truly yours,
Wm. R. Thayer
To Dr. H.R. Storer.
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.,
Washington, December 27, 1898.
Dr. H.R.Storer,
Newport,
R.I.
Dear Doctor:
Please accept my thanks for your kind note of the 23rd inst., in regard to the Fabre Palaprat medal. I have hesitated to purchase it as I was not satisfied that he was a medical man. The notice in the Dict. Encycl. De Sci . Med. had escaped me.
There have been very few additions to our medical collection during the last six months:
Geneva Convention, 1864, by Richard
Moriz Benedikt, 1896 by Jelish
Achatius Billing, Aet. 77 AO. 1667
Hosp. Greg XVI- Sanit. Vol 30 p. 259 No. 2113.
U.S. Medical Staff. This is described by you in Sanit. 1891 Vol. 27 p. 246 No. 1861. With teh excpetion of M.S., thre are no inscriptions on our medal which is 27 x 27 (44 x 44 mm). See Cat.of sale of Betts collection, January 11-12, 1898 p. 38.
L. Pasteur- Cocie'te' d agriculture de Melun, 1881.
Very sincerely yours,
Dallas Bache
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum and Library Division.
[HRS note: "Answered 29 Dec. 1898"]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.,
Washington, February 8, 1899.
Dr. H.R.Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Dr. Storer:
The Rouen E'cole de me'd. is:
Obv. - Head of Hippocrates to left. On right Aesculapius' staff.
on lest, very small, E. Dubois.
Rev.- Ins. between two laurel branches: E'cole / de Me'decine / de / Rouen.
Beneath branches: Institue'e en 1822.
Silver, oct. size 20 (32mm.)
The rectangular of Greenwood is 4 7/8" x 6 i/8"
I will try to find out how the dental plaster casts were made. From appearances I should judge that they were case in a carved mould.
One of the Thuringia medals, viz: 1898, is the same as Pfeiffer and Ruland, No.284.- The obverse of teh other is also lke that ofPf. & R. No.284; but the rev. has 1600 instead of 1598, and the legend is: D: G. Fri. Wil. Adm. et. Joha. Fra. et. Dec. Sa. [fig]
Both are silver, 20 (32 mm.)
Very sincerely,
Dallas Bache
Col. & Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge of Museum and Library Division.
[HRS note "Acknowledged 16 Feb. 1899"]
[Newport Historical Society-Newport Coin & Medal Club Correspondence]
Dr. H R Storer
Newport R I
Dear Sir
Will you kindly mail me a copy of teh Cons & By Laws of the Newport Coin & Medal Club.-
I would also like a copy of your ANnual PRoceedings if they have been printed.
Very truly yours
Wm Poillon
[HRS Note "Answered 14 March 1899"]
[Newport Historical Society-Newport Coin & Medal Club Correspondence]
Andrew C. Zabriskie,
52 Beaver Street
New York, April 14th 1899
H. R. Storer, M. D.
Newport, R. I.
My dear Dr. Storer,
As I have taken a cottage at Newport for the coming season, and expect to occupy it the early part of next month, I write to say it would afford me much pleasure to read a paper before tyour Coin and Medal Club, if the matter could be arranged, sometime during the latter part of May.
I have in mind a paper on "The Medallic History of Abraham Lincoln" which is unpublished, although delivered before the American Numismatic and Archaeological Society several years ago.
Sincerely yours,
Andrew C. Zabriskie
[Countway]
[Westbrook Hall, Horsham]
July 15/99
17 Hertford Street
Mayfair, _____
My dear Storer
I have give up the place I had in Scotland, and instead here bought a small property in Sussex near Horsham.
Lady Priestly is however in Scotland just now, in the hope of getting good from the Strathpepper(?) waters. She is staying in a country house with a friend Mrs. Wilson, and the address is Brae House, Dingwall. If you are near there, she would I am sure be glad to see you. We shall be in Sussex in August and perhaps we might arrange a meeting there, if you propose to come South with your daughter. I am almost retired from Medical practice now, but represent the Universities of Edinburgh & McCr_____ in Parliament. This gives me complete employment. I was speaking on behalf of a poor ill used Doctor who lives in the Hebridies, last night.
With kind regards.
Believe me
Yours faithfully
Wm O Priestley
[Countway]
Newport, R. I., July 22, 1899.
H.R. Storer, M.D.,
Care-Brown, Shipley, & Co.,
Founder's Court,
London.
Dear Sir,
At the Annual Meeting of the Medical Board of the Newport Hospital, July 21'1899, you were re-elected President of said Board, and on the motion of the Sec'y. it was voted to send you a copy of the resolution relative to your absence, which was passed at said meeting:-it is hereunto appended.
To H.R. Storer, M.D., Pres. of the Medical Board of the Newport Hospital.
The Medical Board of the Newport Hospital, assembled in Annual Meeting, send you their heartiest greeting: may your sojourn in Europe be fraught with advantage to you health, so that ere long you may return, to again aid us by your counsel, refreshed in both mind and body.
Respectfully Submitted,
H. G. MacKaye M.D.
Secy. Med. Board
[HRS: "Answered 14 Sept"]
[Harvard Archives: FROM John Ware folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Paris 27 Sept 1899
My dear Storer
Your, of course, unexpected letter, all the more welcome on this account, gave me the greatest pleasure. it is pleasant to find myself not completely forgotten after so many years.
...
You may already have left Brussels for a destination unknown, in which case my letter will have little chance to find you.
I am very, very, sorry not to have seen you though at the time you were here I was, not bed-ridden to be sure, but confined to the house, just the time to to receive a medical visit. ...
No! I have not become Catholic Though my tendencies would be in that direction if I believed in the necessity of any outward form of religion -- but my letter is already too long and I will leave that subject for another time.
Very truly, and also very gratefully, yours sincerely
J Ware
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Hotel Cecil, Strand. W.C. [crossed out]
Telegrams "Cecelia, London"
en Route, Dec 15-
My Dear Mr Storer
I enclose a speech which I intended to give you when there this morning. It is the speech delivered at London bouquet Thanksgiving Day. It was a great pleasure to meet you again & I regret that I did of have time for a longer visit with you & your good wife.
yours truly
W. J. Bryan
[Countway - 1994]
WILLIAM SCHROEDER, M. D.
339 PRESIDENT STREET,
Betweem Smith and Hoyt Streets.
Borough of Brooklyn, New York, May 9 1900
Hr. R. Storer M.D.,
My dear Doctor,
Have received your pamphlet, for which kindly except my thanks, they are the first contribution in that direction.
I have secured during the last few days the two following Medals
...
Yours Truly
Dr W. Schroeder
[HRS note "Answered 10 May 1900"]
[Harvard Archives}
Letter from Royal Dutch Sociey of Numismatics (Amsterdam)
Amsterdam, 30 November '99.
Le bureau de la Socie'te' a l'houueur de vous faire part que Sa Majeste' la Reine des Pays-Bas a bien voulu accorder a' notre Socie'te' le titre royal".
Le secretaire-Joh. W. Stephanik. Le pre'sident- Aug. Sassen.
Letter addressed to Washington St. This crossed out by Newport P.O. (Dec. 21) and "Hotel Kensington, 5th Ave & 15 St. New York" substituted.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
United States Senate
Washington, D.C.
May 13, 1900.
My dear Dr.:
Yours of the 29th of last month came duly to hand. I have not been able to reply until now. I am in favor of transferring the Fish Commission to the Department of Agriculture. I tried to get it transferred to the Navy Department; but did not succeed. Now I am trying to place it under the Department of Agriculture. The principle is simply this: All executive work should be under some one of the executive departments. There is no exception to this rule that I know of, except the Fish Commission, which is an anomaly which should no longer remain as such. There is no intention anywhere that I know of to lessen the efficiency of the Commission, but rather to improve it. It would bread down after a little while if it went on under no Department. I could enlarge upon the reasons why the Fish Commission should be under departmental supervision, if it were necessary. Indeed Commissioner McDonald hardly controverts the idea; but prefers the Treasury to the Department of Agriculture.
Your handwriting looks familiar. I trust as you grow older your health strengthens and that you have a long live before your. My liver has begun to make me trouble at 54 years of age; but by great care I manage to exist.
Sincerely yours,
Wm. E. Chandler
Dr. H. R. Storer.
[Countway - 1994]
Senate Hall,
Lahore
23rd May 1900
Dear Sir
With reference to your card of inquiry I beg to say that no medals are offered in the Medical Faculty of this University.
Truly yours
A M Stratton [ Arthur Mills ]
H. R. Storer, Esq.
Hon'y President
Newport Medical Society
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S W.,
Washington, May 26, 1900.
DR. H. R. STORER,
The Wilmot, 14 E. 53rd St.
New York, N.Y.
Dear Doctor Storer:
I am glad to send you answers to your inquiries of 25th inst., as prepared by Mr. Myers, whose interest and intelligence warrant accepting them as correct.
Dr. Bonn's name on the Amsterdam medal is engraved.
The entire inscription on the reverse of Dr. David Heilbron's medal: "Viro doctissimo", &c. is inoused.
There are only Greek inscriptions on the P. Camper medal. On the obverse ... not ... as sometimes stated. The head on the obverse is Camper's, and resembles the portraits shown in several of his works, which are in the Library."
Very sincerely
[Alfred A] Alf A Marshall
Lt Col D. S.G
_____
[HRS note "Answered 7 June 1900"]
[Countway - 1994]
HENRY A. FAIRBAIRN, M.D.
249 MCDONOUGH ST.
BROOKLYN, N.Y.
To
Dr. H.R. Storer
Dear Doctor=
Dr. Hunt has referred your request for a Penner(?) medal to me as chairman of the committee. I take great pleasure in forwarding one.
very respectfully
H.A. Fairbairn [Henry Arnold, 1855-1925]
June 12th 1900
[HRS note "Acknowledged 14 June 1900]
[Countway - 1994]
University Library
Aberdeen
July 17, 1900
My dear Sir
I have pleasure in sending you herewith photographs of our Anderson, Duncan, Lizars, Struthrers, Jaamieson & Keith Medals, which I hope will serve your purpose.
Yrs faithfully
P. J. Anderson [Peter John, 1852-1926]
[HRS note: "Acknowledged 25 Aug. 1900"]
[Robert T. P. Storer, Jr. October 29, 1994]
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Dear Sir-
At the Annual Meeting of the Boston Medical Library, held this day, it was voted: "that the thanks of the Library be presented to Dr. Horatio R. Storer for his baluable gift of the Storer Memorial Collection of Medical Medals."
Very respectfully
O. _. Wadsworth,
Clerk
521, Beacon St.
Boston -
Nov. 13th. 1900.
[Countway - 1994]
War Department,
Library of the Surgeon General's Office,
Washington, Nov. 27, 1900
Sir:
I am directed by the Surgeon General to acknowledge the receipt of the publications noted in the annexed sheet, presented to the library by you and for which he desires to return thanks.
Very respectfully,
J.C. Allwill
Major and Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Librarian, S.G. O.
To Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport R.I.
A Collection of 77 miscellaneousl medical circulars, cuttings, etc.
Also: "Elisha Bartlett a Rhode Island Philosopher" An address by Wm Osler, M.D.
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S W.,
Washington, December 8, 1900.
DR. HORATIO .R.STORER,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Sir:
The cutting from the "American Journal of Numismatics for October 1900," containing the continuation of your article on "Medals &c. illustrating the Science of Medicine", has been received with thanks, and it will be filed with the preceding portions of the same paper.
Respectfully,
W(?) J(?)Marshall(?)
Col. Asst. S.G.
_____(?)
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S W.,
Washington, December 10, 1900.
My Dear Dr. Storer:
I enclose two memoranda in relation to the question propounded in your note of 8th. we have Hirsch's Biographical Lexicon whose full title is given therein, but singularly in his notice of Spiess he does not refer to his medal of 1873. However we have the medal itself, a description of which is appended.
Sincerely yours,
A. F. Marshall(?)
Dr. H. R. Storer,
The Wilmot,
14 East 53rd Street,
New York.
[HRS note "Acknwoledged 23 Feb."]
[Countway - 1994]
Providence Feb. 15, 1901
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Dear Sir,
Will you kindly write a suitable obituary notice on teh late Dr. Curley of Newport, for teh "Transactions" of teh R. I. Medical Society? I understand you were personally acquainted with Dr Curley, and so can better perfomr that task than one who did not know him. Kindly let me hear from you as early as possible, as everything for the Transactions must be in the hadns of the printer room.
Yours truly,
E. B. Harvey [Edwin Bayard -- 1834?- 1913]
(of the Committee on Necrology)
181 Broad St.
[note of HRS says "Answered 24 Dec. 1901" 10 months late!!]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.,
Washington, Oct.18th, 1901.
Dr. H.R.Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Sir:
Please accept my thanks for the cutting, received this day, from the April number of the American Journal of Numismatics, which contains a continuation of your article on teh medals of the science of medicine.
Very Respectfully,
Calvin DeWitt
Col. & Ass't Surg. Gen's. U.S.A.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
White House, Washington.
November 4, 1901
My dear Sir:
Your favor of the 1st instant has been received, and the President is exceedingly sorry not to be able to meet your wishes. He cannot, however, make any contribution to the collection you mention as he has not medals at all.
Very truly yours,
George Bruce Cortelyon [1862-1940]
Secretary to the President
Dr. Malcolm Storer[!! not to HRS!]
476 Boylston Street,
Boston, Mass.
[Countway - 1994]
Thorne
Wt Dorcaster
England
Feb 5th 1902
Dear Sir
In reply to your post card duly received, I herewith enclose a rubbing of the "Jas Watson Medal." The rubbing on obverse side is not satisfactory.
The subject of the Prize Essay was the Chemistry of Healthy Wine.
Yours faithfully
H. W. Arbuckle
Dr. Storer
[HRS Note: "Acknowledged 7 Feb. 1902"]
[Countway - 1994]
BOWDEN HOUSE,
TOTNES,
S. DEVON.
10th Feb. 1902
Dear Sir
Enclosed you will find an attempt at a pencil rubbing of the Dab. Pol. Soc. Medal I have never tried to take a rubbing so fear this is bad.
I dont know of other similar medals.
Yours faith'ly
Gerato F. Yeo [Gerato F] [Gerald??]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
SURGEON GENERAL'S OFFICE,
U. S. ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY,
Corner 7th and B Streets S. W.,
Washington, September 26, 1902.
Dr. H.R.Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Doctor:
Your postal of the 19th instant was received. Thankd for your information in regard to Manhattan CoinCo.'s sale of Medical portraits, also for July clipping of American Journal of Numismatics.
The Lannelongue medal is of bronze, 57 x 71 mm.
Very sincerely,
Calvin DeWitt
Col. & Ass't Surg. Gen's.
In chge. of Mus. and Lib.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
New York, November 14th 1902.
Miss A.C. Storer[!]
Newport, R.I.
My Dear Miss:--
I hope you will excuse me for the delay ... so that I had some difficulty in hunting up the reference. [References to Charles Carroll of Carrollton, Maryland]
I read, with much interest, your article in the Catholic World on Dante, and hoping you will give us many more such.
Very sincerely yours,
Richard H. Clark [Lawyer/Author-"illustrated history of the Catholic Church in the United States.]
[Countway - 1994 -- not probably in Storer boxes, but in Boylston Medical Prize folder.]
COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE, HARVARD COLLEGE,
No. 50 State Street
Boston, Dec. 26 1902
Dr. H. R. Storer,
230 Central Park South, New York, N.Y.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of Dec. 5 in regard ot the Boylston Medical Prize Medal was forwarded to me a few days ago.- I have examined the Boylston Prize (Medical) account inthe College books of account from its beginning to the present time, and find therein mentio of gold medals paid for as follows:-
...
I find no other entries in which it appears that a medal was given, but I should ot assume that omission to mentio the medal was proof that a medal was not given instead of a money prize where prize only is menioned in teh accounts. Here for instance is a doubtful case. In the Corporation records of Aug. 23, 1826 is an entry of votes of the Boylston medical committee passed Aug 2 1826 "awarding the Boylston Gold medal, or fifty dollars in money to D. Humphreys Storer M.D. 442 Washington Street Boston, he being the author of a dissertation on the following subject viz - "ON the Diseases resembling Suphylis and the best means of treating such diseases." Also ... The journal entry in Dr. Storer's case is Aug. 1826 "pd prize to Dr. D. H. Storer" 50. -. I do not feel sure whether Dr. Storer received "of in money or the gold medal. You doubtless know. The Corporation records give less information about this matter than do the books of account, for I have examined the records also. Under date of Nov. 1880 is an entry of an advertisement in the Herald of "die lost" the cost of the advertisement being charged to the Boylston Medical Prize Fund. I assume that this "die lost" was this prize medal die and I do not know whether it was found. The prizes are awarded by the Boylston Medical Prize Committee, appointed by the Corporation, and no entry of the awards is now made in the Corporation records. Dr. W.F. Whitney is now the chairman of that committee and can very likely give you information about the die and other matters relating to the prizes and medals. The fund has been diverted to no other purpose, is unimpaired, and still provides these prizes, eight of which have awarded in the last ten years.
Yours truly,
Allen Danforth,
Comptroller.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
UNITED STATES SENATE
COMMITTEE ON THE PHILIPPINES
H. C. LODGE, CHAIRMAN
Personal. Jan. 2, 1904
My dear sir:-
I have received your letter of the 31st in regard to the manuscript postage bill now pending before the Senate Post Office Committee. I am very glad to know your interest in this measure and you may rest assured that I shall give it my best attention. I hope that you have written to Senator Penrose, the chairman of the committee in regard to it.
Very truly yours,
H. C. Lodge.
Dr. H.R Storer.
[Harvard Archives (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 Class of 1850]
27 Centre Square [appears to be in HRS's hand]
Brookline - Jan. 4th 1903. [HRS note "Acknowledged 6 Jan 1904"]
Dear Storer,
More for the purpose of possible whiling away a weary minute of your "invalidity"; than for any practical use; I forward to you one of my "Monitor" Stethoscopes. There are less than a dozen of them in existence; the only physicians having them, being my friends, Drs. Gannett, Jackson and Cabot of Boston.
Drs Janeway and Norhtrup - Presbyterian -of Bellevue Hospital, New York.
Dr. George _ock University of Michigan
" Chas Lyman Greene University of Minnesota
" Jas. R. Arneil University of Colorado
and I think
Dr. Munssin University of Penn.
and, as they prefer my "Single" Instruments, I shall, probably, issue no more. They are not"For Sale".
A line in regard to you health and possible return to your "old home", would gratify me,
As for my single self, I seem to be "Richard's himself again - and wish I could send you, as a New Years token, some of my misrequired(?) health.
Sincerely yours,
R.C.M. Bowles
Dr. H. R. Storer,
#58 Washington St.
Newport,
R.I.
P.S. I include Manufacturer's Circular, justrecd
Please Note - Binaural Tubes turn in Spring Sockets, for adjustment to the Ear.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Nash Mills,
Hemel Hempstead
Herts.
25th January 1904
My dear Sir
I duly received your letter of Dec 28th and was very sorry to learn that you had undergone such serious surgical operations. [Reason for so few letters in 1903??] I trust that they have been entirely successful and that you are now quite restored in health. I am much obliged for the information that you have given me with respect to the Michael Gamare medalet. You do not mention the place of which he was the Aedilis nor what is the plant shown upon the medalet. It is not unlike the `tabcicus nicotrana.' Did he prepare nicotine from it? I have no collection of medical medals, and if this one be wanting in your Boston collection, I shall be happy to present it. I have made enquiry of Dr. Codrington & find that though he made many enquiries in the directions that you indicated his researches were unsuccessful. He would otherwise have written to you.
I cannot recommend you to become a member of the "British Numismatic Society." It has been founded on personal pique and on a series of deliberate misrepresentations. The old Society which has been in existence over sixty years will, I hope, shortly receive a Royal Charter.
We start this evening for Egypt, returning by Athens and I do not expect to be at home till after Easter.
Believe me
Yours very truly
John Evans
H.R. Storer Esq M.D.
[Harvard Archives: From John Noble Folder same box: (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Boston, Mar. 7, 1904
Court House.
Dear Storer (handwritten - letter typed)
The four undergraduate classes have started the project of securing a portrait of President Eliot, to be hung in the Harvard Union as a graceful addition to the celebration of his 70th birthday - and ask the co-operation of the Graduates to that end.
They propose to raise in these classes $1000. towards its expectant cost, - $5000. and hope to raise the remaining $4000. among the Grduates in and around Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and the Western cities.
So I sound the class of '50 to see how they feel in the matter.
Very truly yours,
signed John Noble
[written in margin "Sent $10 - 8 March"]
[Countway - 1994]
A. N. BELL, M.D.
237 Clinton Street,
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Ammityville, JS(?) Jun /04
I thank you, my Dear Doctor, for your very kind appreciation of my retirement & the manner of it.
I have been here, as above written, for ten days & expect to make a long summer of it, and a leisure one. Nevertheless, I have been so much in love with my work I know I shall miss it and even more, the constant seeking it through its progress
Truly yours
A. N. Bell [GELL, Agripppa Nelson, 1820-1911]
Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport RI
[Countway - 1994]
DR. RUDOLPH W. HOLMES
CHICAGO
August 9, 1904.
H. R. Storer, M.D.,
58 Washington street,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
I appreciate very much your letter of August 4, especially after the trying ordeals of two such serious operations.
As to the Caesarean Section for Placenta Previa--as your case was a post mortem Caesarean I hardly think it justifiable to include among those where the section was performed as a therapeutic measure for the mother. I might add that Read in his extensive paper on Placenta Previa (1026 cases) cites two post mortem Caesareans for Placenta Previa both performed by Smellie in 1747. I will take great pleasure in using the contents of your letter in my paper--in due time I will give myself the pleasure of mailing you a reprint of my paper.
Congratulating you on the happy outcome of your operation, and thanking you for your information,
I am
Most sincerely yours,
R W Holmes.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
[c 1905?]
The Roycrofters
East Aurora, Erie County, New York
July 25 Year Ten from founding of the Roycroft Shop
Dear Dr, Storer:-
Here is something special. It will not last long and I thought you might like to come in before St. Peter closes the gate. Wish you would make us a visit some find day.
Sincerely yours,
Elbert Hubbard [1856-1915]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
BRITISH EMBASSY, ROME.
April 12/05
H.R. Storer Esq M.D.
Dear sir
Your letter with interesting and learned inclosures(?) has been forwarded to me here, & I beg to thank you for them.
I cannot answer your questions as I am away from all my books. The only book which you do not seem to quote from, which might give you the information you require, is the catalogue of the Vatican collection at Florence. When I return to London if I can answer the question you ask I will let you know. I am interested in hearing of your American collections on the information you have supplied about them. I have only a small collection which I have described in the 2 articles in Numismatics Monthly.
Yrs very faithfully
Egerton Y Tatton
[Harvard Archives: From John Noble Folder same box: (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Dear Storer -
I don't know how much interest you may feel in Radcliffe-
I have promised the Radcliff girls one of whom I have a daughter, _____ what I can for them in their good work. They have raised $60,000 before this - to buy the Greenleaf Estate, to extend their lands for necessary buildings. and this is for another work, which will be almost the making of the College.
If you should feel interested - and inclined to help, it would be greatly appreciated
Very truly yrs
John Noble (accompanying brochre said May 8, 1905)
[Countway - 1994]
28 rue d'Offe'mont.
Paris
November 14 1905
Dear Doctor Storer,
I thank you for your letter and all the assistance you offer me. I have not as yet begun to make a real collection of medical medals but have nerely happened to pick up one now and then. I regret not to have any to offer you. teh Korind Medal bears no date. Dr. Jacobs merely copied a note saying that it was struck in 1762. The one I have of Dernal and Pare' corresponds to one you have. I will keep my eyes open adn if I chance on ietherof the Lancy medals which you say are wanting in your collection, will take great pleasure in sending them to you.
I am much obliged to you for your card to Dr. Blanchard, as well as for the reprints you were so good as to send me, the one on Rush interested me much.
Believe me with true appriciation for your aid.
Very sincerely yours
Rupert Norton
I formerly practiced in Washington between 1895 and 1899.
[Countway - 1994]
Royal College of Physicians
Edinburgh 2nd Dec. 1905
Dear Sir
After a delay for which I must apologize I send you the further details regarding the medals of John Hunter,
[descriptions of 4 medals follow]
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours Sincerely
F. C. Nicholson
H. R. Storer Esq.
[HRS note "Acknowledged 15 Dec. 1905"]
Newport Daily News Feb. 17, 1906
DR. STORER THANKED.
Josephine Silone Yates Mothers' Club Grateful for His Plea for the Negro Race.
To the Editor of the News:
The Josephine Silone Yates Mothers' Club of this city has sent to Dr. H. R. Storer a letter, of which the following is a copy. Will you please oblige the club by printing it in your columns? Mrs. T. H. Jeter.
Newport, Feb. 16, 1906
Dr. H. R. Storer:
Dear Sir: Since your communication in the Daily News January 23 you have been in our minds as never before. You had been known to us as one of our city physicians, but since the publishing of your "Race Prejudice" you have been recognized by us as a friend indeed. We had expected to see e'er now in public print expressions of gratitude for your timely words in our defense; you may have been officially written or called upon by representatives of some of the organizations of color of this city. As this we do not know, we have attempted to express our feelings of deepest esteem to you, who dares so nobly speak forth words of truth and encouragement concerning a people who for unavoidable conditions are constantly thrown down and trampled upon by many of those who pledge allegiance to our flag and the indivisible nation for which it is an emblem.
It must appear to those across the ocean that the statements made concerning the brutality and injuries along all lines inflicted upon the negroes of America are erroneous or the American nation is hypocrisy personified. There were times in the past when we were almost persuaded that the men of iron wills and sterling worth who were friends to the oppressed had died. We thought upon John Brown, Charles Sumner, Wendell Phillips, William Lloyd Garrison, Henry Ward Beecher, Harriet Beecher Stowe and others sleeping--aye, resting from their labors. When we were about to become discouraged we were led by divine prompting to look up and by looking we recognized a halo glowing fresh from God's eternal throne which bore testimony: "I am with thee." In all ages friends have been raised up who dared to speak, act and if need be die in the cause of right. Though apparently few, their worth cannot be told.
Dr. Storer, do not look upon these lines thinking them as coming from some who would feebly attempt to display their oratorical powers,but to the opposite they are the earnest of honest hearts, from women who have burdened upon them the interest and progress of the race, women who are hopeful notwithstanding the many obstacles placed in the way to hinder the progress of truth and right.
Please accept these as the sentiments of the Josephine Silone Yates Mothers' Club of Newport R. I.
In behalf of the J. S. Y. Mothers' Club.
I am yours.
Mrs. T. H. Jeter.
Shiloh Parsonage. Cor. School and Mary Streets. Newport. Feb. 16, 1906
[COuntway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SUGREON GENERAL,
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY.
WASHINGTON.
March 27, 1906.
Dr. Malcolm Storer,
Boston Medical Library,
8 The Fenway,
Boston, Mass.
Dear Sir:
In reply to your letter of March 24th, to Major W.D.McCaw, Surgeon, U.S.Army, Librarian, S.G.O., requesting information of the additions which have been made to the Museum collection of medical medals, I have the pleasure to inform you that the following have been added to the collection since General DeWitt's retirement: [approx. twenty medals listed-- HRS has questions/notes following most]
Since April, 1905, no medals have been purchased for the Museum collection, the appropriation for the maintenance of the Museum not permitting it.
Very respectfully,
C.L. Heizmann
Col., Asst. Surgeon General, U.S.A.
In charge, Museum & Library Division.
[HRS note: "Answered 3 June 1906"]
[Countway - 1994]
The Mutual Life Ins co of New York La Mutual Life
...
Paris, le May 23 1906
Horatio R. Storer M.D.
Newport
Dear Dr. Storer.
Please excuse my negligence in not thanking you earlier for your notes on medals which you have been so kind as to send me, and which I am glad to see. I have not bought any medals this winter. It seems almost a hopeless task to improve your usperb collection, and it will only be by chance if I now and then secure a medal.
I should like to know whether you would care to have in your collection a medallion about 3 1/2 by 5 inches of Dr. Binswanger of jena. It is in no wise a commemorative medal, simply a portrait medallion of this well-known doctor. I shall be glad to present you with a copy if you desire it.
Very truly yours
Rupert Norton
[HRS note: "answered 3 June 1906"]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SUGREON GENERAL,
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY.
WASHINGTON.
June 20, 1906.
Dr. H. R. Storer,
58 Washington St.,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Sir:
In reply to your letter of June 3, 1906, to Col. C. L. Heizmann, Asst. Surgeon General, U. S. A., formerly in charge of this Division, I send you enclosed cards giving the information which you desire regarding the medical medals.
Very respectfully,
V A Havard
Col. Asst. Surgeon General, U. S. A.
In charge of Museum & Library Division.
[Havard, Valery, 1846-1927]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Seventh International Zoological Congress
Boston 1907
Wood's Hole, 24 april 1907
Cher Docteur Storer,
[letter in french]
R. Blanchard
[COuntway - 1994]
DR. HENRY BARTON JACOBS
11, MT. VERNON PLACE, W.
BALTIMORE.
November 27th, 1907.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
I am very glad to receive again the reprint of the American Journal of Numismatics containing your list of new medals. I am very gald to see that you are able to keep up this splendid work.
When in Paris recently I ran across one of your old friends in teh Rue Louvois where I found a few things of interest, probably all of them familiar to you. I was particularly interested in some of the vaccine medals and in the Centennial Medal of the Interneship of Paris; the latter done be Bolle'e is full of spirit and is very pretty.
Believe me,
Very sincerely yours,
Henry Barton Jacobs [1858- ]
[HRS Note: "Answered 2 Dec, 1907]
[Harvard Archives -1994]
Harvard University\
Cambridge December 18, 1907
Dear Sir
The Dean of Harvard College has referred to me your letter of December 5 asking for information about the medal founded by Ward Nicholas Boylston. It seems very doubtful whether we can throw any light on thsi subject if it has already baffled Dr. Malcolm Storer. I am making some inquiries, however, and shall be glad to tell you the result.
Respectfully yours
Jerome D. Greene
Secretary to the President
Dr. H. R. Storer
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Wien III/1 Ungargasse 3
August 23 1907
Dear Sir,
You are so kind to send me for the library of our Numismatic Society not only all continuations of your valuable article of the Medals, Jetons and Tokens illustrative of the Science of Medicine, but also some papers and publications containing interesting articles on medals. In the name of our Society I beg to express our hearty thanks for these contributions.
I read with great interest the article of Mr Brimen on the art of Medallist and _____ those of Mr. King on Medals and their influence on coinage and the popular _____ ; unfortunately the pages 155 and 156 of the Magazine are missing.
In one of the next numbers of the "Monatsblat" I shall with some short notices on the papers you had the kindness to send us.
I admire the zeal with which you are collecting medals on medicine and rejoice over the great results attained by you.
With my best compliments I remain
Dear Sir
yours very truly
Ernst
[Ethel-October 1993]
City Clerk's Office,
Newport, R. I.
September 20, 1907.
Dr. H. R. Storer.
Dear sir:-
I enclose herewith a certified copy of a Resolution passed by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Newport, appointing you a Commissioner to inquire into the cost of the extension of Washington Street.
Very truly yours,
F. N. Fullertin
Deputy City Clerk.
[above-mentioned Resolution follows]
THE CITY OF NEWPORT.
RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN.
Resolved, that W. Watts Sherman, Dr. H.R. Storer and Henry C. Bacheller be and they hereby are appointed a Commission to inquire into the cost of the extension of Washington Street along the shore line to the two mile corner and to report back to this Board as soon as may be.
(Passed September 19, 1907.)
A true copy. Witness,
F. N. Fullertin
Deputy City Clerk.
[Countway - 1994]
12 Nov. 1907
19 Harley Street
London, W.
Dear Dr. Storer
It is very kind of you to send me the second note regarding, the "Vila Brea\on &c Medals. Your first letter is I am afraid quite lost, as I have heard nothing of the bag or any its contents since it disappeared from a railway carriage at Waterloo Station on 5th Oct whilst I was on the platform. The thief did not get much of value to himself.
I hope you will quickly recover your health and be able to go on with your description of medical medals, which I am afraid you are trying to make too perfect.
I should not think the Linnaean Society would publish a series of Linnaean medals, but I am not sufficiently acquainted with the aims of the Society to be positive. I shall try and find out about the lists of medals published by the Royal Society
With best regards to yourself and Mrs Storer
Yrs v. truly
F. Parkes Weber
[Countway]
52 Queen Street,
Edinburgh
11/XII/07
Dear Dr. Storer,
I gave your letter to the University Librarian to try & find out about a Dalton Medal. But he finds no trace of it. Professor (of Chemistry) Crum Ramon suggested looking into the Royal Medical Society. There also I find nothing of him.
I see on the mantelpiece of their Hall a small silver medal in a frame with Societati Medica Conditium A. P. C. N. 1775
on one side & on the other
Medicinae Sacrum April 20.
No doubt it commemorates the laying of the foundation Stone of the old Hall of the Society which has been in existence about forty years before that date. The librarian has stamped the seal which is attached to the Society's diplomas. It may interest you, if you have not already seen it.
My eldest son, Professor James Young Simpson, D.Sc. has engaged the affection of Miss Helen Day of Moranepolis(?). She & her mother are now on a visit to us. We hope to be at their wedding some time, probably in April.
Yours very faithfully
A.R. Simpson.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Joint Committee on the Library
Fifty-ninth Congress
Washington, D.C.
Geo Peabody Wetmore, Chairman
February 19, 1908.
My Dear Sir:-
I have your letter of February seventeenth. I think there is no question about the passage of the Fortification bill at this session. It is one of the general supply bills and never fails passage. The bill does not contain any specific appropriations for any locality in the United States, but lump sum appropriations for the entire country that are expended by the War Department in accordance with a plan for the national defense adopted a number of years ago and revised in 1906. The amount to be expended next year in the Narragansett District will depend upon the aggregate sum Congress is able to allot for the defense of the entire country, which may be less than for the past few years owing to the anticipated deficit in the Federal revenues.
I enclose a copy of the last fortification act, so you may see the form in which it is made up.
Yours truly,
Geo Peabody Wetmore.
Dr. H.R. Storer,
No. 58 Washington street,
Newport, Rhode Island.
[Countway - 1994]
EDWIN P. ROBINSON, D. D. S.,
12 HIGH STREET,
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
April 5th 1908
Dear Doctor Storer:
Your communications one mentioning that possibly you could give the engraver's name to the coin presented by Mr. Huatowski(?) if I would send you the intials and the other regarding medal of Guil.(?) Greene issued by C. K. Warner - were received - regarding former intend to go to Hist. Soc. & look it up, and about the Greene medal I may send for it.
Have had a double attack of the grip recently the former affecting my ear the next was probably a slight cold and getting too tired. The demands are great in my line and it takes much time to do a litte we cannot now days turn off the work in a few minutes it requires a more perfect operation in each case.
I have had presented to me a set of 133 pieces struck in lead from Becker's dies copied from Greek coins, also perhaps a Becker coy of the Syracuse Dekadrachm (only five originals known) This imitation is one of the best counterfiets of the Greek which I have seen. It is in silver.
With very best wishes
Yours sincerely
E. P. Robinson
[Countway - 1994]
DR. JOHN M. SWAN,
3713 WALNOT STREET,
PHILADELPHIA.
April 6, 1908.
My dear Dr. Storer:
The receipt of the reprint form the American Journal of Numismatics reminded me that I had not written to you for some time.
Of course you know that Dr. Jacoby is here working on the eye. I hope he will succeed in developing into a first class ophthalmologist. Ne needs, I think a little dudicous advice from an older man to kee him from empirical ways. I advised him last summer to start in as though he had never before seen an eye, study its anatomy, physiology, & pathology before, or at the same time that, he worked on symptoms and treatment. He seems to me, however, to be impressed with the necessity of learning to refract, to use the retinoscope and to use the ophthalmoscope.
We have at the Polyclinic a nurse form the London Hospital, who wears the medal of the Guild of Saint Barnabas for Nurses. Thinking you may not have seen it I have made rough rubbings, copied its outline, measured it, and copied the lettering. The medal is a very handsome bronze medal with high relief work.
I hope your are quite well and that you will find with the returning warm weather much enjoyment in your delightfully situated home.
Dr. Blanchard was elected an honorary member of teh American Society of Tropical Medicine at the fifth annual meeting, held in Baltimore on the 28th ultimo.
Please give my regards to Mrs. Storer and to Miss Storer.
Yours truly,
John M. Swan
["Answered 8 April, 1908"]
[Countway - 1994]
HAMILTON T. KING, M.D.
BARBER BUILDING
JOLIET, ILLINOIS
My dear Dr. Storer:
Thank you for your encouraging letter. Miss Carr would certainly be the woman for the position. I remember her well at the Newport Hospital, and she certainly was a great help to me. I hope we will succeed in getting trained nurses, as it will be a great step forward. We ought to do excellent work here, but our asepsis is very poor and our orders not properly carried out.
Yours sincerely
Hamilton T. King.
May 21, 08
[Countway - 1994]
15 Chestnut. St
Boston
May 26/08
Dr Storer
Many thanks for our reply to my note. I have at your suggestion written to Noble. Gus Hay stayed anoter year at Canlinceaud(?) and often spoke to me of his delight when he found that he could so do.
Sincerely yours
B. Joy Jeffries/54 [Benjamin Joy, 1833-1915]
[Countway - 1994]
WAR DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SUGREON GENERAL,
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM AND LIBRARY.
WASHINGTON.
June 29, 1908.
Dr. H. R. Storer,
58 Washington St.,
Newport, R. I.
My dear Doctor Storer:
Please accept thanks for your note of 27th inst., and for the desired numbers of your papers, 57 to 74, which have safely arrived.
No doubt the numbers previously sent were mislaid in the attempt to keep a file in the Museum. Such things should be filed in the Library, and we will see, in future, that they are carefully preserved in this collection.
With renewed thanks, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Walter D McCaw
Major, Medical Corps, U.S. Army
Librarian, S.G.O.
[Countway - 1994]
Sept. 25th 1908
R. H.(sic) Storer Esqr.
My dear Sir.
The inclosed paper will give you an idea of what really can be accomplished, towards renewing the vitality of the system. I have just arrived from the Meeting British Associaton Dublin and would be pleased to give you treatment here for about ten days, the usual time occupied, when you will be able to return to your hame & family. I can secure you a private room in the Hospital of which I am President & Chief of Staff, where you will have a special nurse, food, and all attendc in Hospital the expense $3.00 per day. My usual fee for professional services is from $199.00 to $150.00. No pain or suffering from treatment, Kindly let me hear from you as soon as possible.
Sincy yours
J. A Grant [Grant, Sir James Alexander, 1831-1920 from Ottawa Ont.]
[Countway - 1994]
JOSEPH A. BLAKE, M.D.
601 MADISON AVENUE,
NEW YORK.
1.30-3
Oct. 16th. 1908.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R. I.,
Dear Dr. Storer:
I found your letter at Dr. Bull's upon my visit there last night. I read part of it to him and he was very much touched by your ofer. There has been a slight but steady improvement in his condition during the past three days and it looks now as if there might be some possibility of his recovery. In view of his symptoms, we cannot possibly say that he has carcinoma, it therefore, does not seem to me that the chance of immunity conferred by transfusion would be worth while.
Yours very sincerely,
Jos. A. Blake [Joseph Augustus, 1864-1937]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
[answered 27 Dec, 1908]
Lisbonne, le 6 Decembre, 1908
Cher Monsieru
[reference to le Congres international de Numismatique]
Arthur Lamas
[Ethel-October 1993]
Howland Wood
93 Perry Street
Brookline, Mass. January 9, 1909
My dear Dr. Storer,-
The accompanying communication I trust will interest you and if it gives you any pleasure, remember that you have earned it well, for the fields of original research are but seldom traversed over, and the pioneer that leaves the blazed trail for others to find their way over should be the recipient of what little honors the less venturesome can give.
A letter the other day received from Brussells notified me that I had been placed on the American Committee, and a copy of the Revue Belge showed me the personnel. I see that I am in very good company, thanks to of. Let me know what is expected of us, or is it a silent honor, however, if there is a chance to be assertive I trust that we will not be found wanting.
Wishing you a very good year I remain,
very sincerely,
Howland Wood
[Ethel-October 1993]
15 Inverleith Row,
Edinburgh.
21st [January 1909]
Dear Dr Storer
I have been away in Ireland. Mr? ____ has had a good deal of sickness in his family & I have barely seen him. I have some plates but I can't find them. This house is often let and things get put away. This was returned to me. It is the bust by Parker? & is now in the Educ. National portrait gallery. I go away for a few days and when I return will try and find more. It has been dreadful weather here. I have a book out Folk Lore of Lowland Scotland.
I am v. tired.
All good wishes for 1909 yr. ____
Eve Simpson
[envelope says Lady Simpson, Daughter of Sir James Young Simpson.]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
NAVY DEPARTMENT.
WASHINGTON.
March 29, 1909.
Sir:
In reply to your letter of March 17th, in regard to the site for a naval hospital in connection with the training station at Newport, I have the honor to inform you that after careful consideration the Department has selected the Maitland tract as being the most advantageous for this purpose from every point of view. The possibility of contagion in this instance is, in my opinion, very remote and would be equally applicable to any hospital situated in any large city.
The chief points against "Coddington Point" are: its remoteness, its extremely exposed position, lack of improvements, such as gas, electricity, water, roads, etc., the probably necessity for building a bridge to connect it with the island, and the increased expense incident thereto.
Very respectfully,
G[eorge] V[on] L[engerke] Meyer [1858-1918]
Dr. H.R. Storer,
58 Washington Street
Newport, Rhode Island.
[Harvard Archives: From Hales Wallace Suter folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Pynelis,
Andover, Maine
Sept. 20, 1909
My dear Horatio
It was very pleasant to hear from you and receive your interesting letter quite like old times. As for the Secretaryship I had never thought of it, but Williams said it was the unanimously wish of our remnant and that I must accept it and not decline ...
[Countway]
University of Pennsylvania
Department of Physical Education
R. Tait McKenzie, M.D.
Professor and Director
Nov. 22, 1909.
H. R. Storer, Esq.
58 Washington Str.
Newport, R.I.
Dear Mr. Storer:--
It is always a pleasant experience to receive a letter such as yours, and I thank you for it. I have not seen the collection in Boston, but will look forward to visiting it on my next trip to that city.
It was only this year that I found the collection of medical medals purchased of Dr. Des brow in the safe of the college library, and with the librarian's cooperation I hope to have them out on exhibition at the College of Physicians some time this winter. They are a most interesting lot.
The Sargent medal was my first attempt and this was my second attempt in what might be called the legitimate medal, although I have done a good deal of work in low relief. I am sending you a copy of "Old Penn" with a description of a medallion I made. This has been reduced to medal size, and would come under the heading of a medical medal, I suppose.
I have not seen the Journal of Numismatics but will get hold of it and look it up.
If you wish a photograph of the College medal I shall be glad to send you a good one.
I am glad to know that you are associated so closely with our clan.
[HRS note: Cousin of F S Mackenzie(?) a _____ _____ of Edinburgh]
Sincerely yours,
R. Tait McKenzie
[HRS note: answered 17 Dec. 1907
[Countway]
Telephone?: 2006a Morningside
J.J. Walsh, M.D.
1973-7th Avenue
(Above 118th Street)
New York
[Date not given but prior to Mrs. Storer's death(1910?)-"Answered 18 May"]
My Dear Dr Storer,
I enclose Mrs Bellamy Storer's letter. My brother has taken up the subject and will with your permission write to Mrs Storer as regards the supply of the plants. The Phipps Institute is doing good work in the study of tuberculosis.
If I may I should like to come down[Is HRS in New York?] to sup with you some evening before going away for the Summer. My kind regards to Mrs Storer and your daughter and to the gentle absent married coz.[?]
Yours vy sincl
Jas J Walsh
[Ethel-October 1993]
To Dr. Storer, on his 80th birthday, from his affectionate friend, Esther Morton Smith
February 27th - 1910
H ere's to our neighbor and our friend
O of thirty steadfast years;
R eady with help in time of need,
A lert with kindly word and deed
T o meet our smiles and tears.
I f ever we'd establish facts
O n matters old or new,
R ight drainage, lobsters, surgery,
S moke-nuisance, civic perjury,
T he Doctor'd see us through.
O ur dear old friend, well-tried and true,
R ich harvest, still we wish for you.
E ach year, each day, its blessing bring!
R ipe Autumn's fruit, to heart of Spring.
[Countway - 1994]
THE UNION CLUB,
CHICAGO.
May 23.'10
My Dear Dr. Storer
Very glad to hear from you and I thank you for the paper rc'd also, which I am glad to have for my scrap book.
I appreciate your endeavor to have copy of the Redwood Library book plate sent to me. It has not come as yet, but perhaps will later. I have just regruned form my trout fishing trip and have has a most enjoyable time. We got plenty of fish (no four pounders) and saw much of interest in birds and all nature including black flies.
I have a large pile of mail to attend to do(ditto?) business, books, book-plates &c. &c. So must cut this short.
Trusting you are very well,
Cordially yrs
Ruthven Deane [1851-1934]
[Countway - 1994]
19 Rothseqay Terrace
Edinburgh Scotland
22/9/1910
Best thanks for your interesting pamphlets on subjects which have been occupying me much of late.
J. W. Ballantyne [John William, 1861-1923]
[HRS note "Answered 26 July 1911"]
[Countway - 1994]
DR. ROBERT ABBE
13 WEST 50TH STREET
NEW YORK
November 28, 1910
Dear Doctor Storer
Your valued letter with Rush Medal data is highly appreciated.
The brochure on the subject is as fresn and interesting as if written yesterday, instead of twenty one years ago.
I consulted my friend Dr. Billings and at his request am writing Dr Torney(?), Surgeon General, to have made for me a plaster of Paris impression for which I can take an enlarged photograph for my book, which _____ to show more beautyfully(?) than one of the bronze, the detail of sculpturing.
You will be interested to know that beside teh Watch of Dr Rush which is so interesting, I have been given also his bible and seal, a very interesting series of souveniers and full of inspiration to make the little trust more appreciated.
I must confess to being rather new at antiquarian research, adn am enjoying the freshness of experience, while glowing with pleasure at being in touch with one who, like yourself, has become so deeply engrossed in it.
Thanking you cordially I am
Yours very truly Robert Abbee [1851-1928]
[Cannot read HRS note, may be legible on original]
[West Point--Agnes Storer Autograph Collection]
H.M.S. Prince of Wales
Atlantic Fleet
Dover, 5. Decr. 1910
Dear Dr. Storer.
I am in the throes of winding up the business of this Command and packing up, previous to handing over to my successor on the 20th. inst. After that date I shall have plenty of leisure & you shall hear from be fully. Today I have only time to send you my most cordial thanks for your three letters of 18th & 24th Nov. (1 between these 2, but undated) as well as 57 sheets of typed notes and a packet of my own printed notes, corrected. (latter recd. today.)
E.P.M. stands for "English Personal Medals, from 1700," by H. Grueber (Keeper of B.M. Coins)--These are arranged alphabetically, but only go down to H incl., so far.
Would you kindly instruct your bookseller to obtain for me and send across Medina's "Medalias Chlenos." I have never seen it or remember a reference to it; it appears hardly known in Europe.
_____ the English medals I have adhered to the sequence of "Medalion Illustrations."--Of course I have 2 indices: a chrnonological one & an alphabetical one.
Mylisted refereces are far from complete. I intend to quote against each medal, all that are knonn to me. By the way, I am a little doubtful about including Richelieu.
In haste yrs truly
Louis Battenberg
P.S. I had written to Mr. Higgins at Mr. Grueber's suggeston. My brother Henry died(?) in W. Africa.
[Naval War College]
University Club
Fifth Avenue & 54th Street
11 Dec. 1910.
Dear Dr. Storer,
Very many thanks for our most kind note which has just been received, and which I appreciate the more deeply as written in a time of such sad grief to yourself. Both Mrs. Chadwick and myself join in expressing our hearfelt sympathy. Inevitable as nature has made such partings, they are none the less poignant, and I as one myself well into old age, can as years go on have the more and more acute sympathy.
In regard to the election or rather my own non-election: I fully expected it. I know the narrowness which one has to combat; the pettiness of spirit, which can never see that it is the broad public good we are fighting for or should fight for. What I chiefly feel and have often spoken of is the want of fairness; a want which cannot allow that the people who support Newport to the extent of paying 60 per cent of its support should have any representation at all. This is the most serious phase of the subject. It is the sort of thing which would nto allow poor DeLaucey Kau(?) one of Newport's greatest benefactors even to be a representative. It is that sort of thing which makes one doubt, in man ways,
Thanking you again.
Sincerely yours
F. E. Chadwick
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
AMBASSADE DE LA RE'PUBLIQUE FRANCAISE AUX E'TATS-UNIS
Washington, le May 23, 1911.
Dear Dr. Storer,
I thank you very much for your kind note of May 21st and I beg to assure you that I greatly appreciate the feelings of admiration you express towards my compatriot of long ago, Stephen Girard, and his attitude during the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia.
Believe me, dear Dr. Storer,
very sincerely yours
[Jean] Jusserand
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Life President Newport Medical Society,
Membre de la Societe Francaise d'Histoire de Me'decine,
58 Washington Street
Newport, R.I.
[Harvard Archives: From Hales Wallace Suter folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
113 Church Street,
Winchester
My dear Storer
It gave me great pleasure to hear from you. Your son John told me recently that you spend a part of the winter at De'Land. I was at Ormond and if I had known you were there I would have gone over and seen you. I usually spend a part of the winter at the South and have found Ormond a very comfortable and agreeable place to pass the winter in. I have been South for ten or twelve winters, and find the climate agrees with me and enables me to escape the cold and unpleasant weather at the North. I hope you will continue to enjoy good health be able to visit the South again I amsure you will find it beneficial.
Very sincerely yours
H. W. Suter
June 11/11
[Countway - 1994]
NAHANT. July 15th 1911.
My dear Dr.Storer,
I was very glad to get your kind letter of teh 10th. I am very tired and have had a lot of writing to do, which is my excuse for my delay. I am glad that you like my little book; and of course if it shuld happen to do good to anyone I am repaid.
Dr. Maurice Richardson has never wavered for a moment in his faith in his diagnosis of my disease as cancer. For a long time many doubted it but I do not think anyone does now. The heat has been very trying and I feel the exhaustion from it now that it is over. Harvard has behaved most handsomely and has not allowed me to resign. Whether I shall be fit for anything next fall is the problem that now interests me most. Thanks for your good advice; please pray for me. My wife sends her kind regards to your daughter.
Yours sincerely
Thomas Dwight [1843-1911]
[Countway]
JAS. J. WALSH, M. D.
110 West Seventy-Fourth Street
New York.
August 16, 1911.
My dear Dr. Storer,
I have been meeting Dr. Maloney the Irish Scotchman several times of late as the result of your note of introduction. I am very glad indeed to know him. You did me a real favor in sending him. We would like very much to keep him at Fordham however if that can be managed. We already have two Edinburgh men and I should like very much to have another.
I am sending you some reprints with that that may be of interest to you. I have rather been in close touch of late with Surgeon General Maunsell and the English seem to be rather interested in our reprints and especially those read before the Guild of St. Luke. One or two of the enclosed give you an example of some of the papers that have been read.
My best wishes to Miss Storer and to all the folks.
I shall be glad to meet more of the stamp of Dr. Maloney so whenever you can send them on.
Yours very sincerely,
Jas J Walsh
[COuntway - 1994]
SMITH ELY JELLIFFE, M.D.
64 W. 56th St., New York
November 15, 1911.
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Newport R. I.
Dear Dr. Storer:- Through Dr. Maloney of New York, I am indebted to you for a copy of the reprint of your paper on the Medals of Benjamin Rush, as the life of Rush has interested me greatly.
Appreciating your courtesy, Believe me
Very cordially yours.
Jelliffe
[HRS note: "Answered 18 Nov. 1911"]
[COuntway - 1994]
SMITH ELY JELLIFFE, M.D.
64 W. 56th St., New York
November 15, 1911.
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Newport R. I.
Dear Dr. Storer:- I appreciate your courtesy very highly in your note of teh 18th. I shall take the opportunity of communicating with Dr. Abbe.
Very truly yours.
Smith Ely Jelliffe
[Harvard Archives: From Hales Wallace Suter folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Winchester Jan 13th 1912
My dear Storer
I congratulate you on the honor conferred on you by the Edinburgh University Club of America, association you with so distinguished associates. I saw Williams a few days ago, ...
[Harvard Archives: From Hales Wallace Suter folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Andover Maine. June 25th 1912
Dear Storer ... There were three of us at Commencement, Robinson, Williams and myself only two inclasses prior to 1850 were ahead of us in the procession and none in 1851
Affectionately yours H.W.Suter
[Countway]
Providence, R.I.
Aug. 5, 1912
My Dear Doctor:
I send you herewith a couple of pamphlets on sex[!] Hygiene which some members of the State Board of Health propose to put in circulation.
The proposal seems to me a dangerous one that is likely to do more harm than good. Furthermore, if no opposition is met with, it is a part of the general plan to give instruction of this nature to the school children of the State.
I have no faith in the "If you cant be good, be careful" morality, and the proposed action of this State Board strikes me as a piece of meddling impertinence, which the fathers and mothers of the State have a right to resent. I do not know how you may regard the matter, with your long experience as a surgeon, but if you feel as I do, I shall be very glad if you will discuss the subject with Dr. Darragh who is a member of the Board.
The Board will I understand take definite action early in September.
With all good wishes I am
Sincerely Yours
Y. G. Doran
To Dr. Horatio R. Storer
[John J. Burns Library, Boston College]
President's Office
Loyola College
Baltimore
Sept 12/12
Dear Doctor Storer:
For the honors conferred by Fordham University on so eminent a scientist and Christian Catholic gentleman of the old school I send my sincerest congratulations -- and add my regards to daughter.
Devotedly
W J Ennis S J
[Countway - 1994]
Dr. Clarence John Blake,
226 Malrborough Street,
Boston, Massachusetts.
Octover 16th, 1912
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
Please accept my thanks for your favor of October 12th, with the enclosure of newspaper article in refutation of the attacks made upon the work of Dr. Grenfell in Labrador.
These copies I have sent to Miss E. E. White, Secretary of the New England Grenfell Association, for her perusal before transmission to Dr. Grenfell and to the Toronto Journal.
With kind regards,
Sincerely yours,
Clarence John Blake [1843-1919]
[Robert T. P. Storer, October 29, 1994--interesting enclosures!!]
The National Committee for Mental Hygiene
Room 1914 No. 50 Union Square, New York City
Clifford W. Beers, Secretary
Dr. Thomas W. Salmon. Director of Special Studies
May 20, 1913
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R. I.
Dear Doctor Storer:
I saw your letter to the Chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries which was published in the Newport News last February and I feel quite certain that if you care to send a similar letter to the Senate Committee on Fisheries, it would add materially to the prospects of the hospital ship. Senator Lodge has presented a bill (1732) and Mr. Gardner has re-introduced his bill in the House.
I enclose copy of a memorandum which I recently sent Senator Lodge.
Sincerely yours,
TWS/Es (signed) Thomas W. Salmon.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
UNITED STATES SENATE
COMMITTEE ON PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS.
HENRY CABOT LODGE, MASS., CHAIRMAN
May 29, 1913
My dear Dr. Storer:-
I have your note with the copy of your letter to the House Committee, which I have read with much interest. I entirely agree with what you say as to the need of a hospital ship on the fishing grounds and, as you are not doubt aware, it was I who introduced the bill in the Senate. I doubt whether it will be possible to secure action upon it at this session, for it is probable that no general legislation will be undertaken, but I shall certainly urge that it be taken up at the first opportunity and I hope we shall be able to get it through.
Very truly yours,
H.C. Lodge
Dr. H.R. Storer,
58 Washington St., Newport, R.I.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
CAMBRIDGE
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
June 25, 1913[check date]
Dear Dr, Storer:
It was very kind of you to telegraph to me on Commencement Day. It is difficult for me to believe that my father's [Probably Joseph Augustus Peabody Lowell] classmates are the oldest living graduates. Thank you for what you say about father. He would have been much pleased to have seen me here if he had lived, because he was very fond of Harvard.
With earnest good wishes for your comfort and happiness, I am
Very truly yours,
A. Lawrence Lowell.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
58 Washington Street
Newport, R.I.
[Countway - 1994]
DR SAMUEL P. GERHARD
639 NORTH SIXTEENTH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
July 24th, 1913
Dr. H. R. Storer,
58 Washington St.
Newport, R.I.
My dear Doctor:-
Surely your letter was a great pleasure to me and I was very much interested to read that you have studied along the same lines that has been my good fortune to enhoy, and I am pleased to learn that we agree in the same direction.
I am enclosing a copy of the article upon which you will see that it was published in teh JOurnal of teh American Medical Association a few years ago.
I am very much interested to know in what magazine you came across this article, for I have learned form different sources that it has beem republished in several magazines.
Your refrence tothe caduceusof Mercury is just the argument that I have used with my colleagues gainst its use as a medical emblem; but was compelled to cut down the article for want of space and this was left out.
It was a four years fight in the A.M.A. to convince them that the Red Cross was not a medical emblem and finally succeeded in having a simple design, consisting of the knotty rod and serpent of AEsculapius in gold witin a circle of scarlet as the Medical EMblem.
I have prepared an article on teh Medical colors, which I have found to be scarlet and gold. It has not yet been published.
THe Medical emblem therefore embraces theknotty rod with the colors of scarlet and gold.
I must congratulate you on your success in having the organizations you speak of correct their emblem, and I am working along the same lines in this City with the police authorities, trying to induce them to issue the emblem adopted by teh A.M.A. for the doctor's automobile.
It is very interesting to hear form some one who has been in the A.M.A. from its infancy and I will cherish your letter for that reason. I suppose that you will be interested to know how old I am, and would say that I am forty-five years old.
Besides the article which I enclose I am sending you a picture of the emblem adopted by teh A. M.A. whic is half inch in diameter.
Thanking your very much for your interest and your kind letter, and trusting that you will let me know the magazine in which you read the article, I am,
YOurs respectfully,
Samuel P. Herhard
[HRS Note: "Answered 3 Aug. 1913"]
[Countway - 1914]
INTERSTATE
MEDICAL
JOURNAL
OTHO F. BALL, M.D. MANAGING EDITOR
PHILIP SKRAINKA, M.D. LITERARY EDITOR
Metropolitan B'ld'g, St. Louis, Mo.
March 2nd, 1914.
H. R. Storer, M.D.
58 Washington St.,
Newport, R.I.
Dear Doctor:
Becaue I am unable to give you the information requested in your letter of February 26th, the letter is being referred to my brother, Dr. James Moores Ball, 4500 Olive St., St. Louis, from whom ou will no doubt have a communicaiton within a few days.
Sincerely yours,
O F Ball.
Managing Editor.
OFB/M
[Harvard Archives: From Robinson Joseph Hidden folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
64 Bellevue Ave
Melrose Mas
26 Aug 1914
My Dear Storer:
If you are willing to be our Class Secretary made vacant by the death of Suter, I think no one could fill the place better than you - I therefore vote for you.
I was very glad to hear from you We have never met since Commencement of '50. I suppose like the rest of us time has left its impress on your brow, but as you then looked is indelibly imprinted onmy memory. I hope to hear from you again and I trust you are well.
Very Sincerely yours
Classmate
J.H. Robinson
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] From Warner Hermann Jackson folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Grand Hotel Locarno
Lac Majeur - Suisse
Locarno, September 18, 1914
Dear Classmate:
In reply to your letter of date August 25, -- received today,-- I can only say that it is indifferent to me who may be chosen as Suter's successor. I leave the choice, as far as I am concerned, entirely to you, who are on the spot, as it were, and can judge better who would be most inconvenienced by the job.
Sincerely yours
H.J. Warner
greek alpha pie o d(? eta u o s) [see transcription of the greek on Harvard archives letter from donoghue]
[HRS note: "received 6 Oct. 1914 -- Answered 4 Dec."]
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Sept 27, 1914
My dear Storer.
...
I wish Mrs. Foster might renew her pleasant associations with her Mother through the daughter. It is singular how old one grows through such reminiscenses and it is very pleasant to think you associate her with one in your earlier days. I will endeavor to respond to your invitation to report progress from time to time, although writing leters has always been my bete noire
With warm regards and best wishes
I am Sincerely yours
Francis C. Foster.
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] From Warner Hermann Jackson folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Grand Hotel: Locarno: Switzerland [":"s and "Switzerland" added by HJW]
Locarno, December 26, 1914
Dear Storer:
Your letter of date December 4 arrived here on December 24: and in accordance with our request, I am sending you two photographs of myself; the larger one taken in April 1911; and the smaller one taken on Februrary 14, 1914 the day before my last Birthday.
I have a good recollection of yourself in those far off College days: also I have several times seen Suter and Fred Willims in occasional visits to Boston; but of the remaining four, also of Bombaugh, -- I have not the least recollection: --
fancy! only eight survivors, but after 64 years that is perhaps as much as the statistical table of mortality would be likely to show.
I am glad you are to be the Class Secretary and write our obituaries as we disappear one after another into the Black Shadow of the Great Divide.
Ever Sincerely yours
H. Jackson Warner
'apodzuos
My address is now direct tocare of this Hotel. The London route is too circuitous; it takes a week for the post to come to from london; and besides, all communications arriving in England, are "opened by Censor"
[HRS note: "answered 29 Jan 1915"]
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] From Warner Hermann Jackson folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Grand Ho^tel Locarno
Locarno, September 18, 1914
Dear Classmate:
In reply to your letter of date August 25, - received today. I can only say that it is indifferent to me who may be choses as Suter's Successor. I leave the choice, as far as I am concerned, entirely to you; who are on the spot, as it were, and can judge better who would be most inconveniencedby the job.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
NUMISMATISCHE GESSELLSCHAFT IN WIEN, 1., Universitatsplatz 2
[short letter in german]
n Loehr
N, T, 1914
Bonardub, Coldingham, Berwickshire.
30th [Penciled date January 191(?)5]
Dear Dr. Storer
Thank you very much for the photograph of the medallion [Probably Medallion of McKenzie which was made in 1913] which Tom, son of R. R. Simpson brot on Wed. I am very proud to have it & will take it up to Edinb. to be framed next time I go up. I was in Edinb. a few months this winter in a flat & sam m friends. Everyone of course was taken up & talked of nothing but the war & the horrible Germs(?). It is a terrible war & a great disillusionment that in this century such true Barbarians exist & wage with his etc of most brutal nature. I don't mind ____ ____ your steel but - such brutes I trust will be exterminated. I wd. gladly go forth & die happy if Jc. fell even one of them. Tom has just got his commission in Royal Scots. Rheumatic fever kept him back none if ____ Sir Alicks sons are out. They are too fond of comforts. Others of the family (his brothers children) are R.A.M.C's I fell a victim to flue jus as I was leaving Edinb in March & was laid low a month there & invalided here but the air her is a fine tonic. I had a ____ to send ____ daughter but in ____ it has been laid aside & here is very small so things get ____ ____ . One I sent went astray in the past & when I had it I had not address. I am busy preparing sphagnum moss for war dressings. We get it here on our moors as well as the Highlands. It has been a fine summer so people have been ____ ____ ____ to be alone to get my garden tidied up. With very many thinks for the medallion photo
yours sin:
Eve Simpson
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Greenfield Mass. Feb. 7, 1915
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
Newport R. I.
Dear Cousin,
Mr. Emile Williams has sent us your letter making inquiries about my wife's uncle and your classmate, Frederic D. Williams, who has just passed away, after a long period of feebleness. I think there has been but very brief notice taken of his death in the Boston papers. His contemporaries now living are so few, that I doubt if there is any one who could write intelligently of him as an artist. He painted good pictures, in my opinion, and was industrious and painstaking, but his pictures never had a vogue. Like many of his profession, he had to contend with poverty, as well as lack of recognition but he was ever patient and hopeful, and never slighted his work. I have often heard him say that he believed his pictures would have a posthumous fame. That of course, remains to be seen. The fire, which destroyed his studio in 1904, burnt or spoiled a good many water colors, and since then he had not made many new pictures, although he made some sketches at Jackson Mt.
I enclose a copy of what I wrote for our local paper. He had had from childhood so many points of connection with this region, that we thought it suitable to have some public notice taken here. I hope and so does my wife that you will write something for the Harvard Graduates Magazine. He was a faithful and enthusiastic son of Harvard, and kept up his active interest to the end.
I remember well meeting you at the Hotel Pelham many years ago, when calling there with Aunt Margaret Storer. Perhaps the only other time I ever saw you, was at that dear lady's funeral. My wife and I had a very warm regard and affection for your father and mother and often called upon them. We ask of your sisters & brother (I can not say brothers now) and until we moved to Greenfield five years ago, frequently saw them. When I was in Boston in December I called on Cousin Abby, who seemed pretty well, considering the hard and trying experiences of the past few years. Your sons John and Malcolm, I used to have the pleasure of meeting, but since I left Boston I have not seen them. You have reason to be proud of both of them. We both have pleasant memories of meeting your daughter, some years ago. With cordial regard and respect, I am very truly yours.
George W. Thacher.
Frederick Dickinson Williams, born in North Russell St. Boston, Aug. 24 1828. Graduated from Boston Latin School and Harvard Coll. (1850).
Taught drawing in various Boston schools until 1874. Married Lucia M. Hunt of Newburyport, Aug. 4, 1870.
Lived in Paris from June 1874 to April 1888. Mrs. Williams died in Paris of pneumonia in February 1888, after which he returned to Boston.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
1331 Connecticut Avenue
Washington, D.C.
March 30, 1915
Dr. H.R. Storer,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, Rhode Island.
My dear Sir:-
In response to your note of March 27 I may say that I do not quite understand to what you refer when you ask if "there exists a special medal" of myself. I have a great many special medals, but you do not specify and particular one. A medallion of myself has been done by Mr Spicer-Simpson, and it may be to this that your enquiry has reference.
Your assumption that I am an honorary M.D. from the University of Heidelberg is correct.
Yours sincerely,
Alexander Graham Bell
[HRS: Answered 1 Apr 1915]
[Countway - 1994
19 East 47th Street
Dear Doctor Storer
It was not understood that the medals would be returned. I thought you wanted them for the Boston Library.
My name in the National Institute of Social science is raised
The Mount Sinai origina is 120 mm, and combined the name of Mowbray Clarke, as copied by my daughter on the sheet she sent you.
Tge snakk 50 mm. specimen - she says- did not contain the name
Very truly yours
April 3rd A Jacobi [JACOBI, Abraham, 1830-1919 New York City]
[HRS note "My _____ sent 8 Apr 1915" another "Send rubbing"]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
315 Dartmouth Street
[April 13/15]
Dear Storer
I am much obliged to you for the photographs of my brother \sidney & the two accompanying letters. He was a man of remarkable ability & would I think have left a name of much distinction had he not been cut off in his youth at the Battle of Chickamauga.
Sincerely yours
T. Jefferson Coolidge
April 13/15
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
15 Oxford Street,
Cambridge.
April 16, 1915
Dear Storer-
Many thanks for a glimpse of your phiz. I shold not have recognized you in a dark room you have grown so classical. How did you do it, a bust, or statuary?
Well, never mind, what is mind? no matter- what is matter? never mind. brief Philosophy! you look like a venerable philosopher. This exchange of notes has been a great pleasure to me and I only wish it had been "viva voce", May you live to renew it and may you be spared as many years as you wish, with health to enjoy them.
With kind regards and cordial best wishes
I am sincerely yours
Francis C. Foster.
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Cambridge, June 7, 1915
Dear Storer
I am very sorry I cannot enlighten "Spalding" as to any members of the A Sigma Theat in our class, if there were such. ... Francis C. Foster
[Countway]
52 Queen Street,
Edinburgh 26/VII/15
Dear Dr. Storer,
The three valued photos of JYS's medallion came when I was from home. The principal (Sir Wm. Turner) of the University V T Harvey Littlejohn Dean of the Medical Faculty both greatly admire the likeness & will have it framed and hung among other professional portraits in the Principal's room. My brother, who takes charge of our cousin's copy is to make enquiries among the artists as to the possible sculptor. Brodie who did several busts of my _____ is long dead. But, as Sir Wm. Turner says, this is a better likeness than any of Mr Brodies.
If we find out anything it will be a pleasure four us to let you know.. From the date you give, I gather that it was produced when I was aborad in France & Germany.
I promised the Principal that I would write for him, to let you know that the University is much indebted to you for your courtesy in sending a copy to adorn the walls of the institution Sir James adorned with his teaching.
We had heard of Dr. Maloney as among the wounded. George (my medical son) has written to him. He is just one of the ablest & pleasantest of our graduates. I have a great admiration & affection for him.
Yes. This war is a long & very serious business. Europe cannot afford to see it ended without abolishing the _____anism that has made an armed camp of this quarter of the globe & that would train the men of every nation to learn, whatever else thy learned, to be ruthless murderers & deceivers
Pax tecium.
Yours very faithfully
A. R. Simpson
[Ethel-Dec.]
Mt. Olivet Baptist Church
79 Thames St.
W. B. Reed, Pastor
Residence, 79 Thames St.
Newport, R.R., Aug 30, 1915
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
58 Washington St.
Newport, R.I.
Dear Sir:-
I write to personally thank you for your valued letter in The News, protesting against the "Birth of a Nation." Glad to have the friendship and cooperation of such brave and leanred citizen.
I am sending under sepaate cover, our 1915 report-State of Country. I have written the report for five years.
Very respectfully,
W. B. Reed
[Ethel Dec.]
Newport, R. I.
August 31st, 1915
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Dear Sir:-
The Woman's Newport League desires to express to you their recognition of tand gratitude for the strong protest you made against the proposed infringement on the rights andpeace of the colored people of Newport, but the exhibition here of a production which would tend to augment the prejudice against us. We recognize and admire your moral courage, adn broad philanthrophy (sic) which has caused to you advocate a fair deal for us, and whether the efforts to prevent thei further humiliation of a long suffering and oppressed race are successful or not, we want you to know that individually and as a club of colored women of Newport, we thank you for your effort, in our behalf and in behalfo or right adn justice
Gratefully ours
The Woman's Newport League
Mrs. H. Silvane Anderson, President
Mrs. Florence J. Miller, Secretary
[Ethel Dec.]
10 Elizabeth St Newport, RI
Aug 31st 1915
Dear Mr. Storer:
I am sure it is largely through your influence that the "Birth of a nation" is not allowed to come here
My church and myself thank you heartily
Sincerely yours,
J.L. Witten
Pastor Mt. Zion Church
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Woods Hole
Massachusetts
Sept 15, 1915
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
My dear Storer -
Your very welcome announcement (of 12th inst.) of your trip and return home was received yesterday and was pleasant news, as well as a relief. I am very glad it was such success and so enjoyable; if we are alive next summer I wish you repeat the trip with your Daughter and spend a night with us - instead of the Tabitha Inn and we will do our best for you and talk you deaf and dumb.
On your departure I drove round to Little Harbor and just as my Son was helping his Mother and had I known her landing place she might have had a glimpse of and a few words with you.
You must come again and I dont know when I have had so great and agreeable surprise; it seems that the unexpected is always happening here, do try it again. We would gladly drop in on you if Mrs Foster could "stand the racket," every time I think of you here it is a new surprise.
My wife was greatly disappointed at missing you. Yes, Warner is the "missing link" and it seems strange he so enjoys expatriating himself.
With warm regards and best wishes, I am
Sincerely yours
Francis C. Foster
[Harvard Archives: From Foster, Francis Charles folder same box; (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Dr Horatio Storer
Father died yesterday noon funeral christ church wednesday eleven thirty Francis A Foster (foster died 24 OCt 1915)
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Magnolia, Mass.
My Dear Storer
Much obliged for yours of the 25th.
As I am not well enough to go to the funeral, I adopted your suggestion & wrote a word of sympathy to Mrs Foster.
Sincerely yours
T. Jefferson Coolidge
Oct 26/15
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
315 Dartmouth Street
Dear Storer
Peace at present is hopeless.
England & France are fighting for their existence, Germany has so far been successful and, if it ends in a victory for her, the next move will be an attack on the United States. She will rush us as she did Belgium & make us pay all of the expenses of the war. Nothing ____________ but preparedness & I am afraid Wilson is not a great enough man to carry us thro' the struggle.
I should be sorry to live long enough to see my country lost.
Sincerely yours
T. Jefferson Coolidge
Dec. 20/15
[Naval War College-Includes copy of business card: Rear Admiral F. E. Chadwick, U. S. N. Twin Oaks, Newport. R.I.]
TWIN OAKS,
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
25 Jan. 1916.
Dear Dr. Storer,
I have your post card re the position of the Perry plaque.
I do not think it would do to place it where you suggest as it would then be in the large room and would refer to that room. ANy inscription of that sort must, it seems to me, be actually within the room to which it refers, or there is confusion in the mind of the person who has not acquaintance with the actual facts.
So long as the old position is objected to, the next best seems to me to be that proposed by Mr. Fearing(?); i. e., against the railing of teh second floor of the Perry Room just within the door. It woudl there be perfectly visible and legible; and there could also be no doubt as to which room it referred.
Very truly yours,
F.E. Chadwick
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] From Warner Hermann Jackson folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Hotel de Berguet: Geneva Switzerland
Tuesday Feb 1, 1916
My dear Storer:
I received a kind note from you a long time ago, in which you spoke of having paid a visit to our classmate Foster (I am sorry that I have not the note at hand: I cannot find it) - at his place somewhre in the country. YOur report having found him enjoying serene days in a comfortable state ofhealth.
Alas! Since then I have read in the Weekly Transcript that he too has passed beyond the Great Divide; and now there are few of us left: and in the name of those few I now elect you to be the Last Survivor.
Give us all good Obituaries, as [we] go one by one ---and
Believe me as of old
Ever Most Sincerely Yours
H.J. Warner --
I append a note of two books / the only ones which I have ever published/ - to be placed -- with this note - in the Archives of the Class, -- which I take it for granted are in yhour possession!
---Next Page ---
European Years: The letters of an Idle Man: edited by George Edward Woodberry: Published by the HOughton Mifflin Company in 1911 in Boston
By Hermann Jackson Warner
New Letters of an Idle Man: Edited by George E.Woodberry
Published by Constable & CO.
inLondon in 1913
Note: It is possible that my Last Letters of an Idle Man may be published in New York in the course of this year, - 1916
[HRS notes: "wrote Coolidge 5 march, 1916" Answered 11 March 1916"]
[Countway - 1994]
EDWARD CLARK STREETER, M.D.
413 BEACON STREET, BOSTON
280.
Horatio R. Storer M.D.
Dear Dr. Storer;-
I am greatly beholden to you for your kind letter telling of your interest in teh Jouranl. I must tell you that every piece of your magnificient collection at the Medical Library is known to me. I have often been on the point of urging you to get some systematic Hist. of Med. illustrated by the coins solely and stressing the numismatic side, into shape for publication. Anyone who has glances at Jul. Friedlander's "Italienischen Schaumunzen des Funfcehnten Jahrhunderts" can see what perfect illustrations coins make.
I am charmed with the gift of your four contribtuions on this most interesting subject. I have read the article on Rush with delight. I am acquainted with your son- he and I are both in teh service of the Boston Dispensary and of the Bost. Med. Library.
I have a friend who is a member of the Berzelius society at New Haven, to whom I am applying for information for you in re their medal of their titulary Saint of Science.
I am also trying to find the name of teh numis. Curator at the Elm City. and probing for ohter facts for you. I am going now to New Haven soon and will press the matter there in person.
There is a move on to secure teh Belgian M. Sarton of Gand. eidtor of "Isis". for Harvard as lecturer, and to have him continue with the Publication "Isis" (which as you are aware is devoted to teh Hist. of Science.
In case he comes here, a great part of the histrical material now carried in teh Bost. Med. adn Surg. Jour. will gravitate into the pages of "Isis". At least that is my conjecture. This will be a great "war profit" for Boston- I mean the capture of Sarton- he is young and extremely able. "Isis" will merit our support. Notes and queries concerning num. rarities will be just the kind of material wanted by Sarton.
I will write, if you will allow me the pleasure of so doing, as soon as I hear from New Haven and my Berzelius friend.
Very sincerely,
Mar.20.I6. Edw. C. Streeter [Edward Clark, 1874- ]
["Ackd 21 March 1916"]
[Harvard Archives HW 338.50] From Warner Hermann Jackson folder (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Grand Hotel Des Bergues Geneve
Saturday April 1 1916
Dear Storer,
Your kind letter of March 10 arrived her on March 27; and I was very sorry indeed to learn that you had been seriously ill; but I trust by this time you have recovered your strength and are ready once more to do all your useful work in the world.
I was much interested in the number and names of our surviving classmates, four only, - fancy! I remember Cabot as a quiet gentle youth, but I do not think I have ever seen him since we graduated.
It was pleasing to me to learn that your attention had been called to my Letters. The second volume was published by Constable & CO of London; but they are in business relations with the Houghton Mifflin Co of Boston and hence they must have sent over copies of othe book in sheets, and the Houghton Mifflin Co published the book as their own. This I did not know before.
I hope the two books will find a place in your Public Library, and any other Libraries which you might - influence them to obtain.
There will be, I hope, before the year is out another volume of "Last Letters", but my friend Professor Woodberry who edits them has been suffering from a long and wearisome attack of nervous prostration. He reports himself now however, as much improved in health, and hence I am hopeful that he may be able to undertake my work before very long.
As in your case writing is to me also fatiguing and hence I am using the hand of my Secretary, - a much better hand than mine is now.
Again with many thanks for your kind letter, & earnest wishes for the recovery of health and strength Believe me always
Sincerely yours
H. J. Warner, per A. Bloufield.
[Harvard Archives: From Cabot, John Higginson file (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Brookline, Mar 9, 1916
Dear Dr Storer,
Your very interesting letter of 5th inst. has been read by us of my Uncle's [John Higginson Cabot's] household with gratification.
Your keen appreciation of your classmate's personality despite his reserved and retiring disposition shows how true was your insight.
I am sure he was glad to keep in touch with the Class through correspondence you refer to, although, like others of his family he had a distate for retrospect. He lived in the present, keenly alive to the world's great movements.
Our close association with him has been most happy for all. Believe me, dear sir, the effort you made in writing so fully and kindly is warmly appreciated by us all and we hope you may continue to represent the Class of '50 for years to come.
Yours was a sturdy generation! _____ of this hardly measure up to it.
With much respect
Sincerely yours
F. Ernest Cabot
[Harvard Archives: From Coolidge Thomas Jefferson folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
March 23 1916
My Dear Storer
It would give me much pleasure to attend the Harvard Alumni Association on April 10th but unfortunately I have lost my hearing and am not able to go anywhere. You are probably the only one of the class of 50 who is fit for any thing.
Sincerely yours
T. Jefferson Coolidge
Wadsworth House
Cambridge
Aug. 19, 1916
My dear Dr. Storer,
In a separate package I am returning to you the Labrador Journal of 1849. I read every word of it with the greatest interest, as I spent a similar length of time on nearly the same extent of coast this past summer, and I have studied many of the plants that you brought back, that are now in the Gray Herbarium. It was one of these plants, in particular that made me wish to see your journal. It is a specimen of Linnenium trichegronum (formerly called L. carolinianum), the Sea Lavender, or Marsh Rosemary, marked in Dr. Gray's handwriting, "S. Labrador, Storer," This is the only known record of the Sea Lavender from the Labrador Peninsula. By perusing your journal I had hoped to find some mention of collecting it at the particular station in Labrador, or perchance near the Straits of Canso, ut was disappointed. Do you, after so many years, chance to recall where you fount the plant?
With many thanks for the privilege of reading your journal I am
Sincerely
Harold St. John.
[Harvard Archives: From Coolidge Thomas Jefferson folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Magnolia Mass.
Dear Classmate
I think you would be the best choice for class Secretary if you would accept the place.
Sincerely yours
T. Jefferson Coolidge
Augst 26 1914
H. R Storer Esq
[Countway - 1994]
Sept. 20th 1916
Dear Dr. Storer,
Many thanks for your interesting paper, and note, Rx. "Newport Sanitary Protection Association," a most charming idea, and one certain to accomplish much, for the health, energy, and mental & physical activity of Newport, and surrounding country, in which I wish you every possible success. -- Thanks for kind congratulations on my 85th year, fully as _____ and active as at 58, by care, prudence, no alcohol, tobacco, & light diet.
Many years have passed since I had the pleasure of addressing American: Med. Ass. on medical & surgical progress in past half century, and I am delighted "Scram(?) Therapy" dawned upon me in 1861 & my researches published in Medical Times _____ _____ 1863, in truly(?)the outcome of great(?) scientific research & I am glad to have lived to see my medical friends _____ this fact. I have just Returned from the Quebec Conference, on Tuberculosis & Public Health, both of which associations I had the pleasure of addressing, the first on Tuberculosis as a Social Disease, and the second on "The _____ of Disease, a copy of which I shall have pleasure in mailing you when published. A the great Walt(?) wrote. --- "A want(?) of occupation is not rest, A mind quite vacant is a mind obsessed."
So I _____ to keep from rusting, and use my brain cells sufficient with that object in view.
Wishing you a long, happy, and useful life
Very sincy yours,
J. A Grant.
Dr H. R. Storer
NewPort
R.I. U.S.A [Grant Sir James Alexander, 1831-1920; Ottawa]
Wadsworth House
Cambridge
Oct. 12, 1916
My dear Dr. Storer,
Just a few lines in reply to your very interesting letter. As you say 67 years have passed since you visited the Labrador shore, but if you should go up there now you would find everything just about as it was when you visited those shores. That was what struck me so forcibly in reading your journal, that life had not changed in that out of the way place. The settlements are no larger ar no nearer together, The people still have that simple whole hearted hospitality that is such a revelation to a resident of one of our great cities.
The circumstances of our , Dr. Townsend's and my, visit were not very different from yours. We too went in a small sailing vessel. The "Sea Star" our gallant schooner was just 40 feet in length, but the finest little sea boat that I ever boarded. Her captain, an old salt brought up on the coast who knew its reefs and bars and intricate channels by heart. He would take his boat into a cove so small that there didn't seem room enough to turn a row boat. He would beat his way up narrow passages with precipitous rocky sides and in coming about go so close that his boom hit the rocks whine it swung over. Well, I could ramble on this way indefinitely.
Thank you again for your courtesy.
Sincerely
Harold St. John.
[Bob Storer, October 1994]
Richard C. Derby
Real Estate and Fire Insurance
136 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, R.I.
Nov. 4. 1916
Dear Doctor Storer
As you are well known as a no-license man -- and possibly I may not be known -- I enclose this rubbish in case it may not have been sent to you. It came to me by mail
It is very shocking to me to note that two such prominent men in the Clergy are against no license; and what queer arguments!
Of course no-license does "drive the mischief underground", but it dreves only a partof it; most of it is killed by high license. Let the authorities ferret out the "underground" traffic just as they ferret out dynmiters; dynamiters do not word "above" ground.
Many of my Naval friends say to me "I can get all teh liquor I want in Maine". I answer "Yes, but boys can't get it."
Very truly yours
R C Derby
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Dec. 6/16
315 Dartmouth Street
Dear Storer
I see Warner is dead. Does that leave only you & me of the Class of 1850?
I hope you will [be] polite enough to outlive me. How are you?
I am deaf, & troubled with my kidneys & a bad foot. I hope you have escaped the ills of old age.
Sincerely yr classmate
T. Jefferson Coolidge
[Harvard Archives (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 Class of 1850]
Beverly, Dec. 15, 1916
Dear Dr. Storer:
I thank you for your note, and enclosure. The Warners had no children, so far as I know.
I enclose a brief note which might be added to the birth, college and nominal statistics of the Transcripts notice. I would write them out, but I do not know the usual form of the magazine's notices. You may consider my note simply as inforamtion, and compress it as much as you think best. It seem to me that any akech of my old friend's character by me would be too personal for the occasion.
I found Mr. Warner was unusually sweet-tempered. Old experience, in him, had attained to a wonderfully mellow strain. His long journey through life had ripened an originally kindly nature. He retained great mantal vigor in his old age, a sound mind, a good heart! I look on his friendship as one of the great goods of my life."
Doubtless I shall hear from his widow within a short time; and if there is anything of interest to you, I will communicate it. And let me say how pleased I am to have had this brief contact with a "classmate" of 1850.
Sincerly yours
G.E. Woodberry
[Countway - 1994]
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY DENTAL SCHOOL
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY BUILDING
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
Office of the Secretary
Feby. 21, 1917
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
Newport, R.I.
Dear doctor Storer:
During a recent trip to Boston, I visited the Boston Medical Library, and there saw for the first time your most wonderful collection of Medals, I have seen the European collections but never before have I looked upon any thing so complete, or wonderful.
I asked Mr. Ballard who made the collection and he told me. I asked him if he though you would tell me how to go about, to gather the medals relating to Dental Profession, and he said that doubtless, if I would search for items of a Medical character, in my travels, thay you would help me to find the dental material.
First let me explain, that I believe this to be the largest Dental Museum in the World. we have some 15,000 specimens of one sort and another. I devote all of my time to the work, together with that of two assistants.
Medals I have never collected. I dont know to what extent they exist in our profession, but there must be some. Would ou kindly tell me how to go about to find these items. I haunt theold book shops and pawn brokers stores in search for books and historical dental instruments, but pray tell me how and where do you find the Medals?
I expect ot leave here in two weeks for a three months collecting trip. I will first stop at Natchez, Miss., whre a number of prominent dentists lived at the time of the war, from there to New Orleans, where I expect ot hunt about for three or four weeks, Then to San Antonio, Texas, Los Angeles, Portland, Or, Tacoma and Seattle, Washn.
We have recently presented to the Forsyth Institute, at Boston, over one hundred volumes bearing upon dentistry, and expect to supply the Boston Medical Library with every thing that they need from our fifty thousand duplicate items.
If you chance ever, to come to Chicago, I trust that you will honor me with a visit.
Yours very truly,
Wm Y(?) Bebb
Curator of the Museum.
[HRS Note: "Answered 26 Feb. 1917"]
[Naval War College]
TWIN OAKS,
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND.
7 March, 1917
Dear Dr.
Many thanks for your very interesting pamphlets which I have read with great interest. What a depraved lot we are. You were certainly among the forerunners of betterment.
The great trouble is in bringin the reality of these things, or of anything for that mater, to the mass. It is like attempting an impression on a jelly fish. More and more do I see the difficulty of impressing serious facts upon the great inert, thoughtless millions who dont read and to whom knowledge is a mere accident. It is rarely sought, And what is more, it is the evil which spreads more readily than the good. It is like the spread of words never found in the Dictionary but which every child knows.
I want to try and get down to see you, not to talk about this particularly, but about the unhappy state of our country. I am terribly anxious as to what may happen to us should we enter this war, for I think we are reckoning the consequences as little as did the French of 1788 and '89. I have been reading Arthur Young (Travels in France, 1787-89.) again lately. It makes one think mighty seriously.
Sincerely yours,
F[rench]. E[nsor]. Chadwick
[Harvard Archives: From Coolidge Thomas Jefferson folder same box (Secretary's File) HUD 250.505 class of 1850]
Magnolia Mass.
My Dear Storer
I have read the circular you sent me. I am deaf & too feeble to go to Commencement.
As you have already replied in your own name I will abide by any decision to which you have come.
I am very sorry to hear that you have been ill in bed & hope that you are fully recovered.
Are we the only two left of 1850?
I hope we shall be spared the suffering which usually accompanies great age.
Let me know every now & then how you get along & believe me
Most sincerely your old classmate
T. Jeffferson Coolidge
My summer address is Magnolia Massts
May 29/ 17
[Harvard Archives - Eliot collection?]
HARVARD UNIVERSITY
CAMBRIDGE
PRESIDENT'S OFFICE
July 7, 1917.
My dear Sir"
I find that there is no report of the Class of 1850 in the President's Office. If you have a copy of your last report whch you can spare, it would be much appreciated, if you would send it to this office directing it to me.
Yours very truly,
Roger Pierce
Secretary
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
58 Washington Street
Newport, R. I.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Westport
July 17/17
Dear Doctor:
Your letter has just reached
Daniel F. Cohalan [Justice NY Supreme Court]
[hard to read this letter, not sure it is to HRS]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
113 Green Street
Newport
Nov. 12th 1917
Horatio R Storer M.D. &c.
My dear Dr. Storer.
I greatly regret to learn of your illness, and I most sincerely trust you will soon recover, to enjoy the friendship and cordiality of a wide circle of friends. Few men have honored "The Republic" and Science," more than your good self. I regret I am not nearer you, to talk over past, and current events, in this trying time when the world is suffering from the insanity of a "German Emperor." How delighted Britain & allies are, to hear this support, of food, munitions, men, & money, from your Great Republic, the power, earnestness, and determination of which, I am confident, will bring the miserable Hans to _____ & establish Peace, in a solid, _____ firm(?) foundation.
With kindest regards and earnest wishes for your speedy recovery.
Very truly yours,
L.(?) A. Grant
[Robert Storer--Oct. 1993]
The Muenchinger-King
Newport, Rhode Island [postmarked Boston May 13]
6.0 a. m. May 12, 18
Dear Doctor Storer
I enjoyed every minute of the pleasant interview you permitted me on Sunday. To actually talk to a man who was a leading surgeon before the day of anaesthetics [wrong!] or antiseptics-a man who knew Simpson, & Sims--Spencer Well and all our Surgical Deities of that day was an inspiration. I think, if there is any sacrifice at all in our lives it is just that one- we lose the contact with the fine leaders of men, which is such a joy at the time, and as a subsequent memory. Men to me who serve so well their fellow men see always to be the men who best serve God & it must be a might solace to you facing the future to look back on a life as a leader in that noblest of all arts and professions which has to do with the healing of the bodies. yes-& this that so often of the mind & spirit of our fellows.
I am so glad to think that you should have these permanent joys-for you certainly do much like the light of the rock we saw, spread inspiration & ambition to do better, to your visitors. Long may you live if not for your own sake, yet for the sake of those who come to & fro to your prophet's chamber. Many thanks for your generous gift for our work, & for the loan of your diary, which already I have nearly read thro.
Wilford L. Grenfell, M.D.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
15 West 81st Street
January 20, 1919.
H. R. Storer, Esquire,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, R.I.
My dear Mr. Storer:-
I received your letter of December 28th and did not reply as I judged that you intended forwarding to me a second letter. Possibly you changed your mind in regard to this and wrote directly to Miss French, which after all would seem to be a perfectly logical thing to do.
It is indeed a great pleasure that it has been permitted to me to make this nomination, which is a more than welcome one for so many of your friends. We are to be congratulated on your acceptance.
I think the medallion referred to by Dr. Jacobs must be the large medallion of Ramo'n y Cajal which has been at the Hispanic Society for some time, and which it was my impression you had seen. It measures 19 3/5" by 14 1/4" and is by Benlliure.
With cordial regard,
Yours very sincerely,
Arched(?) W Huntington
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Massachusetts Historical Society
Boston, March 21, 1919
The Society gratefully acknowledges a gift to the cabinet of seventy-three medals and store cards.
from Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
of Newport, Rhode Island.
Henry Cabot-Lodge President.
Grenville N. Nouvass Cabinet-Keeper.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Massachusetts Historical Society
The Society has received a collection of English war posters, historical and miscellaneous reports.
A GIFT TO THE LIBRARY,
from Miss A. C. Storer.
which is hereby gratefully acknowledged
Henry Cabot-Lodge President.
Boston June 23, 1919
Placed in the Library Julius H. Tuttle, Librarian.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Treasury Department
Unites States Customs Service
Office of the Deputy Collector
Provincetown. Mass
April 5th. 1920
Horatio R. Storer, M. D.
Newport. R.I.
My dear Dr. Storer:
What was my surprise on reading the Sunday Post of April 4th, to find a portrait and interview of yourself by the Post Reporter, and it brought back to my memory many pleasant thoughts, and I determined to write you and offer my congratulations that you had reached the honorable distinction of being the oldest Harvard Graduate, and had spent so long and useful life of service to mankind.
Let me first introduce myself as the youngest son of your old friend Capt. Nathaniel E. Atwood, and say, that while I do not so much recall you, as other members of your family, and especially your honored father, Dr. D. Humphries Storer, whom it was always such a pleasure to meet, yet I do recall seeing you when a small boy, and I have heard my father tell so much about the trip in the old smack J. Sawyer, in 1849, to Labrador, with Prof. Wyman, your brother Frank. H. and yourself as passengers, that I have almost felt that I was on the voyage myself, although it was before I was born. Not long since, I came across a letter written by you to my father, dated about 1850, in which you ask, if it would be convenient for him to take you on one of his fishing trips in his vessel.
I was born Aug. 16th. 1852, a day memorable in my family, not only for this fact, but that on that day my father received a call, which was the first, but by no means the last, visit from Prof. Agassiz who had not long before come to this country to remain. From this location on Long Point, we removed the family as well as the house in 1857 across the harbor. Being the youngest son, I was kept at home by father and worked with him until his death Nov. 7 1886, and as a small boy, went with him many years from 1860 to 1867 when he retired from the sealife; and carrying fish and lobsters from this place to Boston, brought us to the city often, and as a boy, I have many times attended the meetings of the Boston Society of Natural History with him, and made many pleasant calls at your fathers house both while living on Tremont St. and Boylston, which calls were returned by your father by visiting us at Provincetown, and I remember well what a genial and kindly gentleman he was.
After reading your interview in the Boston Post, I turned to the old family album, and looked at your photo, and one of your son, who I judge may have been about ten years of age, when taken, also photos, of your honored father and mother, which must have been taken at least sixty years ago, and were always cherished by my father until his death, for the pleasant memories that they brought to him.
I am the only member of my family to remain in Provincetown and probably should have gone with the others, in business elsewhere, if I had not been deterred by my father, who wanted me with him while he lived, and as he was a good father, I do not know as I have ever regretted it.
I have been the Collector of Customs at this port, a position held by my father for many years, since Nov. 1889, and am still in office.
In closing, permit me to again offer my hearty congratulations and best wishes, and to express the hope, that you may yet have many more years of usefulness and happiness to come.
My wife joins me in these felicitations, and believe me;
Sincerely yours.
M.C. Atwood
M.C. Atwood
P.O. Box # 403
Provincetown. Mass
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
EDWARD CLARK STREETER, M.D.
280 BEACON STREET
BOSTON
[1920 Apr. 15 HRS: Sent 2 July 1920]
Dear Dr. Storer;
Although I am a month and a half too late, please receive my heartiest felicitations upon your birthday. Welch says that you should take no note of these events, in your case for another ten years, then begin to count.
I duly celebrated, this week, your coming of age by reading your latest gift to the Medical Lib., the rare account of Nicholas Tulpius by Wittwer, founder of the first journal devoted to medical history. In addition I have reread your own numismatic reprints. In the article on Obstetric medals, jetons and tokens, I find no mention of medals struck in commemoration of Cesaerean section and am minded to ask you if any such exist? As there is abundant iconographic material, (miniatures and wood-cuts of early date) I though there might be a medal or two, relating to this subject. Also I am anxious to know whether you ever published an account of your Chereau collection of medals of the Deans of the Paris school.
These are only samples of queries with which ones head teems when confronted with your marvelous collection at the medical library. What an illimitable province you have thrown open for future investigation; You have done a gracious deathless service to medicine - "Miscuerat multis medicinae numera Musis".
With warmest greetings, I remain,
Sincerely yours,
Apr. 15, '20 Edw. C. Streeter
Undated letters
[Written on "mourning" stationary]
52 Queen? S.
Oct. 4th
Dear Dr. Storer
We are in great sorrow as since we came home W. Simpson's brother Mr. John Simpson has died very suddenly. [Edinburgh?]
This can only be a line as I am just leaving town in a little to wish you much joy & to say how I have to thank you for a month's delightful trip & great kindness in America specially from W. Varner.
May I be remembered kindly to y. wife?
In g. haste with W.S's kindest regards
Ever y. Sincerely
Nat? Simpson
15 Inverleith Row
Edinburgh
March 25th
Dear D. Storer
Thanks for your letters & pamphlets received during the winter which we cannot say is quite gone for March seems determined to out lion like severity. Though I have headed this from IS I am really in Ireland not far off Dublin on a fine bit of wast. I have come over for 2 weeks & go from here via Edinb to my cottage by the sea at Berwickshire where I hope to get some writing done. In winter with gautus of an evening & calls of an afternoon I have not must Time. In Sept. I may come over in your direction with my cousin Robert Simpson Alick's (Prof's) brother. He has as lawyer of the ____ kirk to attend the Pan Council at Washington & as his wife hates steamers & trains he wants me to go. My anchor is a very much beloved little Irish terrier Shamrock by name who I don't see can exist without me for two months.
Mr & Mrs. Charles Guthrie are going soon & are likely going to Newport to avoid the heat, I am going to give them a card to you as you will find the advocate (& A G C too) most delightful to speak to on whatever comes uppermost. He is a keen antiquarian. Hi is like his Father Dr. Guthrie the minister you are likely to remember from Queen St. days. He can give you all the news of Edinb. & its folks. I am very pleased wt the way m. Stevenson's Edinburgh Days has been received. It was very soon in a second edition. I have just been doing some shortish things all winter, two of which have gone to your side of the water. I hope to have some papers ready for the Scotsman soon. The Prof(Pres?) Alick his wife & a son I think have gone abroad for Spring. His second son Gurse? is going to be married to a Bardour cousin with a good dower. The clan is flourishing & the amount of doctors in it wd. stock Edinb alone for John Simpsons 2nd boy Walter is a doctor (tho m Lincoln) Alicks sisters 2 boys are both medicals & the eldest brother David's eldest son is a very brilliant student. Then this Gurse of Alicks is a doctor. John's eldest son an Alexander went back to Bathgate as a lawyer on his marriage & he is the father of the first of Uncle Saucys great grandchildren.
This is a long discourse. I will let you know if I decide on this American trip & I hope you and the Gurhries will meet.
yrs Sin.
Eve Blantyne Simpson
[Ethel-October 1993]
[war reference identifies this as 1914-1917]
53 Monmouth Street
Brookline, Mass.
May 2
Dear Doctor
This is only a letter of admiration and affection from a friend, who often speaks of your stores of the opposition ovariotomy met when you brought it to Boston. When we had a case of spontaneous Pan Hysterectomy with complete recovery without any aid, I wished you might have had that argument in early days.
All your friends rejoice in your long life & good work for this from old work.
We are still plugging away in Labrador. The people are fine - but the war not only took a big to of our breadwinners, but it killed our big markets in Greece and Italy.
Ever very sincerely
Your admiring friend
Wilford L. Grenfell, M.D.
[Ethel-October 1993]
Dear Father-
I thought you might be interested in the enclosed program of the Dispensary dinner. Eighty men out 110 came so with the twelve guests it was quite a crowd. It was the first time I had ever presided at a dinner but everything seemed to go off all right and to my surprise I got a good many congratulations afterwards. Equally to my surprise they made me president of the obstetrical Society last night for two years. I do not think anybody in this neighborhood has the publication of the London Numismatic society. To get it one has to be a member. I told Lane to make Griscom get a coy of the Pope's book on the Vatican medals and also the King of Italy's "Corpus nummorum Ital." Lane was kicking because I had not used up my part of the appropriation of $100 that Prof. Chase and I are supposed to use for numismatic books yearly - I told him I would swamp him with orders so if you want anything just suggest it to me. Shall I send the last parcel or wait for Agnes?
Affectionately
M S [Malcolm Storer]
[Countway]
[undated] The Highland Hospital
Fall River, Massachusetts
Dear Dr. Storer,
Let me thank you for the reprints which so manifestly express to a high degree the worth of your contributions to sciences. I have a filing system for good literature to which I shall add these with much pride, indeed.
We All greatly enjoyed your visit with Miss Storer and ware quite delighted to observe your unfailing interest in the progress of medicine and surgery from the hospital viewpoint.
Cordially yours
Philemon E. Truesdale.
[Naval War College]
NAVAL WAR COLLEGE
NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND
1 October 1920.
My dear Doctor Storer:
The enclosed paper was sent me by Surgeon F.L. Pleadwell, U.S. Navy, one of our ablest medical officers, with the suggestion that you might find something interesting in his review of a treatise published by Dr. Barton in 1817, on the subject of the Organization of Marine Hospitals; and also some interesting items in the biographical sketch of Dr. Barton and the medical ideas and practices current in the Navy a century ago.
Very sincerely yours,
Wm. S. Sims
Doctor H. R. Storer,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, R. I.
[Countway]
The Truesdale Clinic
Fall River, Massachusetts
March 7, 1921.
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
58 Washington St.,
Newport, R.I.
My dear Dr. Storer,
Soon after receiving your letter of recent date I was taken ill with acute follicular tonsillitis and have remained housed until today.
When I reported at the hospital, I read the notice in the Newport paper of the many warm testimonials which you received on your 91st birthday. It may be a bit sad to be the only surviving member of your class at Harvard and the oldest living graduate but each of these is a great honor. Seldom is it found that one of your years and distinction is surrounded by such devoted children and so many admiring citizens.
The day after receiving your letter, I was in the Boston Medical Library and while looking for a volume, I found myself directly in front of a bronze replica of yourself, presented to the Library by a distinguished foreign author.[Who? Where is it?] Again it is something to know that the present and coming generations of the profession will hold a great love and respect for ne who has served so diligently, faithfully and brilliantly among its ranks.
With a sincere wish that your good health will continue for years to come and my personal regards to Miss Storer, I am
Most sincerely yours
Philemon E. Truesdale [1874-1945]
TO Horatio R. Storer, M. D. on attaining his Ninety-second Anniversary
February 13(sic), 1922
May this glad day and every day
Bring pleasures ever new
While we our best respects would pay
To you at ninety two.
Through wintry days when clouds arise
May silver line them round
And prove but blessings in disguise
In joys that shall abound.
Your coming days be best of all
With mind as ever clear
Kind friends enough on you to call
To bring perennial cheer.
May only good attend thy ways
Your life from care be free,
God bless the in the coming days
Our wish for thine and thee.
Sincerely yours,
Alexander MacLellan
87 John Street
Newport Rhode Island.
58 Beacon St.
Boston, Massachusetts.
February 24th, 1922.
Dear Dr. Storer:-
The flying years bring around anniversaries in rapid succession and so I am not surprised to hear that on Monday next you will celebrate your ninety-third [sic]birthday. May I number myself with the vast throng of your friends and admirers in offering you my congratulations.
I was much pleased to hear that you still had the use of your eyes to a certain extent and I trust your wonderful constitution is carrying easily the weight of the accumulating years.
May I as a younger friend and respector of you and your family send a greeting for the day and join in with the great band of the alumni of your university in wishing you continued health and comfort for many years to come.
Sincerely yours,
J. Collins Warren
Dr. Horatio R. Storer
To a distinguished Medalist
They give the Nobel Prize to men they claim
worthy of honour; and our Noter Dame--
I've doubled her, you see, but let it pass,
A duplex Major is her lowest "Class"
Our Notre Dame, in vested dignity,
Laetaie gives to men of high degree;
She counts those noble who, in heart & mind,
Serve nobly God and Church and Humankind.
With all the dignity that I possess --
Only a Prioret's, I must confess-
I proffer, "Do, Dous, el Dedico,"
Saint Benet's prize - not less would I bestow.
Accede! Or, by preference, keep your seat,
A Doctor holds his claim as is his meet.
We grant you pax, and slave in all we do,
And seal with hete(??), your festa, ninety-two.
H.L.S. [Fr. Sargent?]
February 27, 1922
On his birthday to dear Dr Storer
Come greetings from every adorer-
So mine too I'll send,
Wishing Joy without End,
Not only today but tomorrow.
R. B. F. [Ruth Franklin]
N.B. Please use much poetic license in pronouncing last word of last line -- otherwise it will not rhyme.
To Grandpa Feb. 27, 1922
My brain I have vainly racked
But no answering poem will come,
So all I can do for my Grandpapa
Is to send him reams of love,
And to hope that this day of his birth
Will be better than all those past
And that the joy and the love of today
Throughout his life will last.
[Emily-daughter of JHS]
There is a riddle in this man
Which I cannot divine!
How can he be at 92
More clever and more charming, too,
Than any man I ever knew
Whose age was 29?
G. N. W. / Mrs Edwin Wiley [Garnt?]
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
The National Committee for Mental Hygiene
370 Seventh Avenue, New York City
Joyce's Camp
Belgrade Lakes, Maine
August 2, 1922
Dear Doctor Storer,
Dr. [Thomas W.] Salmon [Medical Director] has told me of his recent interesting talk with you and of your work in behalf of the insane as many as sixty years ago. I hope I may one day have a talk with you, about your work and ours and about my book, "A Mind that Found Itself." Dr. Salmon informs me that you have been reading my stories. It occurs to me that the edition you have may not be the latest, so I am venturing to send you an inscribed copy of the revised, 5th Edition, published last autumn. The letters of Prof William Cross and Dr. C. Mackie Campbell which appear on pages 255-258 indicate the changes made in this edition.
Don't bother to answer this letter. It is pleasure enough for me just to know that I have established contact with such a pioneer as yourself. With high esteem and best wishes.
Sincerely yours,
Clifford W. Beers [Secretary - Charles W. Eliot was a vice president--Dr. Walter B. James President]
Dr. Horatio R. Storer,
58 Washington Street,
Newport, R. I.
[Mass. Hist. Soc. - Agnes Autograph Collection]
Massachusetts Historical Society
The Society has received 460 coins and medals, medical of Rhode Island a gift to the cabinet from
Miss. A. C. Storer,
which is hereby gratefully acknowledged
Henry Cabot-Lodge President.
Grenville N. Norcross Cabinet-Keeper.
Boston, November 29, 1922.
[Countway - 1994]
undated
-4-from J.G.
Dr. Joseph Grindon
3894 Washington Boulevard
St. Louis
I trust the rubbings and description fo the Hallopean and Engelmann Medals came duly to hand
Very sincerely yours
Joseph Grindon
[Countway - 1994]
undated
John B. Hamilton [1847-1898] Treasury Department,
Supervising Surgeon - General U.S. Marine-Hospital Bureau
Washington, D.C.
My Dear Doctor,
Your letter of 23d January is at hand.
The International Medical Congress Medal bears the names of "N.S. Davis, Pres. J.B. Hamilton, Sec'y, General E. S. Favrole(?) Treas. J. M. Toner, Reg." so that it can scarcely be called a personal medal.
I received the thanks of the Florida Legislature for services rendered the State but no medal.
Capt. Jos. S. Porter ASsst. Surgeon U.S. Army, received a medal from the citizens of Jacksonville Fla for services during the epidenic, and I think several of teh physicians connected with the volunteer medical relief corps, but I am not sure, by writing Dr Porter who is now state Health Officer (at Jacksonville) you can doubtless obtain a full statement of the fact.
I am sorry I cannot aid you more but my studies have not at any time led me in the directio of medals.
I am dear Doctor
very truly yours
John B. Hamilton.
Dr. H. R. Storer
Newport, R.I.
[Countway - 1994]
undated
Accept for yourself, your family, brothers, and sisters, whom I remember so well, my heartfelt sympathy in their bereavement.
Though not unexpected, yet it was no less keen.
Yours sincerely,
Geo H. Bixby [1838?-1901 -- signed in different handwriting from note. COuld be to HRS on death of DHS.]
[Countway - 1994]
undated but sent to Boston 1st page missing
2
and on the other hand, many patients get fully over a mental attack leaving(?) that function still wanting again; it is very rare to note any marked effect of the menstrual days upon the intensity of the nervous affection. For years, it has been the habit ofthe head nurse to keep a book in which she minutes the date, length & any peculiarity of tthe menstruation, saving of course, the necessity of conversinging with the patients themselves and on the basis of this information, we addressed medical agents to pre_____ its restoration, yet so little connection have we noted, that I find myself scarcely ever referring to this record, and very rarely directing special medication int this direction. When the general health acquires a certain tone, this practice becomes natural & prior to that medication is if no reliable service I have found, moreover, that the "regular" formulae scarcely ever offset any good DeWees's compound trictum of guaicum (with vol. alkali) which he states he never knew to fail I never knew to succeed!
I am dear sir
YOurs very truly
L. V. Bell
Dr. H. R. Storer,
Boston
[Countway - 1994] undated
28 Commonwealth Avenue, Woods Hole
August 31
My dear Dr Storer,
Your interesting paper on medals is here and I have just finished reading it with real pleasure.
Medals &c are usually so badly lighted and described in museums that the fatigue of an examination more than compensats _____ the profit one gets from then in that way.
I wonder if the _____ of Clement X that you describe has any connection with the old oil painting hung over the entrance of teh Boston Museum _____ I believe that is a Co_____ but I am not sure
Has it occured to you to look through the published copies of medals & coin cont_____ in the Naples Museum I happen to have a large illustrated catalogue in Italian with fine plates that may furnis you with some material. Will look it up after I reach home and write you about it.
Hoping to have the pleasure of some time reading an extension of the paper, believe me
Sincerely yours
H. H. A. Beach [Henry Harris Aubrey, 1843-1910]
[HRS note "Answered 4 Sept."]
[Countway - 1994] undated
Monroe Mich Jan 9-
My dear doctor:
Sometime during the year will you send me a good photo of yourself, together with biographical sketch for publication in "The Numismatist." Of course the sooner the better, but I leave that to you. I desire it for my biographical series of numismatistts. As far as I know, as a writer on Medical Numismatics you stand at the head.
I have such names as Lew(?) thephapenous, Fromard, Parsley, Heavin, Parnalee Randall, Hooper &c in the series. Trusting you will oblige me I am
Yrs Trl
Geo, N. AR_____ [Probably George F. Heath, M.D.]
H R Storer Am Nu.(?)
[Countway - 1994]
Newport.
April 9th [no year]
Dear Doctor -
I receive the inclosed last night - and hasten to forward it to you. wil you please let me have it again.
Prof. Hill's apologies for not sending the report sooner, but it was on account of sickness so that he did no receive my letter for some days after it reached Boston.
I hope Agnes is doing well
Very truly yours
E. M. Stedman
Over
I propose calling the regular(?) meeting on Tuesday next, if convenient to members, for Mr. Brinley(?) has his Redwood Library meeting every second Monday in the month & so cannot meet us.
What do you think of it?
[Boston College Archives]
[fragment probably to HRS written before 1910]
There is a train 9.05 P. M. which I can take should duty require my presence here on Monday P.M.
I look forward to a pleasant meeting Sunday.
Kind remembrance to Mrs. & Miss Storer.
With every best wish I am, Dear Doctor,
Yours respectfully
J.M. Joyce, S.J.